Santa photos

I went with Caris, Darrin, and Colie to get Santa pictures yesterday.  So much fun.  Beans loved the giant Christmas tree and all the kids in line.  And once the camera started snapping, that girl was ready for her pictures!

Christmas Break...finally!

It's finally here! Christmas Break.  As of 12:30 this afternoon, my students and I are free, and there's a lovely snow falling outside to accompany the blessed event.  I, of course, am still sitting at school waiting for tonight's basketball games, and getting some grading done.  But, I'm doing it without shouting students, and while listening to Christmas music.  Besides, every piece graded now is one I don't have to worry about during vacation. 

I hope you all have the merriest of Christmases and a fantastic New Years!

Thank you iPhoto

So a few months ago, when Colie turned 1, I took a bunch of photos at her birthday fete.  During the download to my computer, a bunch of them disappeared...no where to be found.  Last night, I was working on some photos, and lo and behold, they magically appeared back as recovered photos.  I could not be more thrilled! So without further ado, here are a couple of my favorites from gift opening. :)

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas

Finishing up presents this week.  Cara- check, Tony- check, Mom- check, Katie-check, BZ- check, Dad and Patty- check, Colie- check ... I think I might be done! Just one more present to go for Caris (and Colie and Darrin).  Shouldn't be too hard to finish with Beans to help with Christmas!

Cabin Thanksgiving 2013

Another fantastic holiday at the Davis Cabin.  Thanks so much for inviting us Spokanites to join you BZ and Bob.  The weekend was full of knitting, food, bracelet making, gingerbread houses, football, not-so-quite whispering, little sleeping and a lot of fun!

FHS Football

I got home in time on Saturday to make it to our boys State semi-finals football game.  When we were losing at halftime 7-20, I got a little nervous that I might be jinxing them (it was the first time I'd seen them play all season).  But they came back to hold Cashmere to a scoreless second half, winning the game 28-20.  Tacoma Dome next weekend! PS, so happy to have a photo pass on the sideline.  It was COLD!

RAW INTERVIEW: Holocaust Survivor Pete Metzelaar

And one more video of Pete.

RAW INTERVIEW: Holocaust Survivor Pete Metzelaar

Holocaust Survivor

Pete and I after I did his introduction at the assembly.

As usual, I have been a busy girl.  My most recent project happened today-  I arranged to bring a Holocaust survivor to FHS to speak to the student body... and to our middle school students... and to Liberty High School.  It was a packed house! Pete Metzelaar came to us from Seattle to speak about his experiences during the Holocaust.  He and his mom were able to go into hiding via the Dutch underground.  KHQ, one of the local stations where my former student Max works, came out to do a story.  Here's a link to the piece they ran tonight.  Enjoy.  And as Pete said, take time tonight to mend bridges and hug those you love; you never know what tomorrow will bring.

http://www.khq.com/story/23963788/holocaust-survivor-speaking-to-students-i-was-being-hunted?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9526764&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9526610

wordstock

I went to Portland to visit my friend Angel this weekend and totally geek out over books and my favorite authors at Wordstock.
It. Was. Awesome.
I got to hear and meet some of my all-time favorite Young Adult authors, and see some really cool adult authors too.  They had everything from Ya to children to poetry to fiction...it was endless.  Katie, Adam Mansbach might be your soulmate (although he's married), he dropped the F-bomb more then you do.  :)  Here are a couple pics from my weekend (thanks for the pictures Angel!)

Me and Kari Luna

Stephanie Perkins, Angel and Gayle Foreman

Checking out the Wordstock chair

Cinda Williams Chima, Maggie Stiefvater and Robin Wasserman

Meeting Maggie- who DREW in my book.  Awesome!

Adam Mansbach signing my book.

Angel and Kevin Emerson

One of my new heroes, Marissa Meyer

Meeting Malinda Lo

Some good news!

So this month has had some real doozies for me, losing Mimi, losing my friend Kyle... so it was nice to get some good news last week.  As many of you know, my teaching mountain top has long been a student nominating me for the Teacher of the Month award on Q6.  I mean come on, how many high school teachers are really liked enough by their students to be nominated for that.  That isn't my good news, but I thought it would set a nice tone for this.

Last Tuesday, I got an email from my friend Kathy (executive director of our Washington Journalism Educators Association) asking me if I would let her nominate me for our National JEA Rising Star Award.

She had to ask because I have to answer a massive number of questions and get some recommendations from my administrators.

So after about two seconds of thought, I agreed.  I mean really, how many times in my life will I be nominated for a teaching honor? This is one more then I thought I'd get.  The Rising Star award is a pretty cool one for me.  You have to meet a number of criteria to even be considered:

• Have one to five years’ journalism teaching and/or advising experience.(May be entering the sixth year.)
• Demonstrate a commitment to journalism education.
• Foster an awareness of the rights and responsibilities granted by the First Amendment.
• Seek additional professional development opportunities to improve skills as a journalism adviser/teacher.
• Encourage student editors to attend workshops, conferences and conventions.
• Show commitment to continually improve the medium or media advised.
• Empower student editors to make all editorial decisions in a responsible way without content being subject to prior review.

And really, I'm so flattered that Kathy sees this in me.  So who knows team, this Spring, I may be winging my way down to San Diego to accept one of the Rising Star awards at the Spring JEA Convention.  Wish me luck!

Mimi love

Been working on something for Mimi, but in the meantime, I found this adorable picture of the two of us this morning.  Love you lady.

Friday Fun Video- 9/13

I figure we could all use a little fun this week, and especially on Friday the 13th.  So, here's a little bit of laughter from me to you.  PS. I love this guy!

Kid President: a pep talk for students and teachers. 

Reynold's Institute

So I just spent 2 weeks in Reno getting immersed in journalism.  AMAZING! One of the best learning experiences in my life.  On my flight home from Reno, I did a little reflecting on what the institute meant to me, so I though I'd share it here.  Pictures coming soon.  :)

Learning to let my students fly

By Pia Longinotti

July 26 and I'm in air on route home from the Reynolds Institute of Journalism.

I did not know two weeks ago as I grabbed a cab with Ron (a man I knew to be a fellow...fellow only because he had a matching cab voucher to mine) that at the other end, I would be changed.  

My eyes have yet again been opened to the joy of teaching journalism.  I have been stretched, challenged, humbled, lifted up and invigorated. 

 I have rediscovered the joy of writing, of starting a conversation with a stranger and seeing what story they have to tell, of the pressure of knowing someone else will read what I have to say.  

I remembered what it was like for my students. Oh, the empathy I have for them right now when I tell them, "No, you cannot interview your best friend. Get out there and find someone new to talk to! Be brave!"  

Yep, this week was about being all kinds of brave.  Comfort zone.? Check that idea at the door.  You are getting right in the thick of it with no time to back out! 

Deidre, Karl, Amy and all those who taught us this week asked us to do more. I was challenged to be a reporter, something I last did in high school.  

I was challenged to create lesson plans to share with other journalism teachers.  Do you know how terrifying it is to get in front of a room full of journalism teachers as an expert when you feel like you're still figuring it out? 

I was challenged to find the story that no one else was telling. Also difficult when 33 other teachers are walking the same strip of real-estate that I am, interviewing the same people I think look interesting.  

I was challenged to look at Journalism differently. Why are we writing? "What's this story REALLY about?"  And isn't that the heart of it all?

What IS the story really about? 

We're storytellers. News, features, sports, opinion, it all comes down to telling a story.  Not my story- the one I want to tell as I'm planning my Pulitzer Prize winning piece, but his story, her story, their story.  

What's the story they have to tell when I stop planning, and start conversing.  When I start listening. That deep listening that feels like your whole body is participating cause it pulls you under- no agenda, just me meeting you, seeing where our time will take us.  

Ah, now that's the journalism I want to teach! History's first draft, Jack Kerouac on the road, Tom Rinaldi  bringing tears to a grown man's eyes on ESPN (and not because his team lost the pennant race). 

Stories that matter because they weave a web between people, connecting through our commonalities. 

Stories that tell the truth no matter how unsavory that truth may be when swallowing it down.  

Articles that do more then report last night's box score, or details when the newest dance is going to take place.

When this is our journalism, our students' realities, then we will no longer wonder if journalism will die. It won't. It will be as essential as the oxygen we breathe, the water we drink, and the food that nourishes us into another day.  

I can't wait to wake-up and consume that news with my morning coffee!

Bath time

I think sink baths might be my favorite thing ever! I love that Colie is still small enough to take a bath in our sink and loves it.  She's so stinking cute.  Today, she got bubbles to play with, a real success.  Love that girl!