Home, Sweet Home!

Finally! Teach For America Institute is over and I am all moved in to my house in Baton Rouge.

First things first... My summer school kids did WONDERFUL! It was amazing to see how much they improved in both reading and math. I had kids who couldn't read at the beginning of the summer learn how to read. I had students who improved their math skills immensely. All in all, everything we did was worth it. Not only did they make great progress in their academics, but our class vision was "teamwork" and we also saw them make great strides in that area. Where they once laughed at and made fun of their special education classmate, they began to embrace and fiercely defend her from those who would laugh at her. Instead of selfishly wanting all of our grand stickers to themselves, they began to share and even give away stickers to their friends. It was the little things that really stuck out to me and made me see that we weren't just teaching these kids how to read, but teaching them skills they will use throughout life.

Cleveland, Mississippi... I will miss you. But not that much...

My co-teachers on the last night of Institute (me, Nora, Michelle, and Lauren)

Now that Institute is over, I have finally moved into my dream house in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As I write this, I am currently at Spanish Town Market (formally Capital Grocery), a tiny, quaint grocery store/restaurant just a block away from my house. Although small and somewhat hidden behind trees and patio furniture, Spanish Town Market will serve up crawfish boudin, sells microbrew beers from all over the country, and offers free wi-fi (thank goodness, cause I still don't have Internet at my house). Charming and homey, this place represents exactly what my neighborhood is like. My house, situated on a narrow street with houses from all eras squished together like the neighbors were best friends, is a candy-colored house surrounded by magnolia and oak trees. I pretty much feel like I'm in the rain forest when I sit out on my balcony... that's right, my room has it's own personal balcony, which I love drinking coffee and playing guitar on. This incredible house was built in 1910 and has all the character and charm that you would expect. And the neighborhood, oh the neighborhood. Spanish Town is a place that is so unique, especially here in the Deep South. It appears to be an artsy, creative community where people sit on porches, raise chicken in their backyard, and are open to everyone who passes through: and that's exactly what it is. As I walk through the narrow streets on my way to downtown or Capitol Park, I see trees draped with Mardi Gras beads and hundreds (literally, hundreds) of hot pink flamingos, the neighborhood's mascot. I can walk to the grocery store, library, many parks, a lake, the dry cleaners, downtown restaurants and bars, etc. Spanish Town is my little oasis in the middle of Baton Rouge. It is a place I know will be easy to call home. There are about 10 cats that live on my street, and if you know me, you know how much this excites me. Sitting on my porch drinking a glass of wine and having a cat walk up pretty much makes my day. When the neighbor's chickens escaped from the backyard and strolled through my front yard, I couldn't believe my eyes. And of course, sitting on my back balcony underneath the twinkle lights, reading a book, is the perfect thing to do before I go to sleep... I LOVE this place...

Home, sweet home

I'm going to go now so I can enjoy my neighborhood more before work begins...

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TFA Institute: Life in the Mississippi Delta

Now that I have a spare moment to breathe in between teaching classes, attending sessions, going to the lake, and enjoying happy hour at Hey Joes, I'm finally getting to catch everyone up on what life has been like for me lately. I've spent the past 3 weeks in Cleveland, Mississippi at Teach For America Institute, which is our summer training. Institute is training through direct experience with teaching. Every day, I go to Matty Akin Elementary in Greenville, MS and teach a class of entering 1st graders who have absolutely stolen my heart, but also challenged me greatly. I've had lessons that have flopped, homework assigned that I never saw again, I've been spat on, and many other things... Come to Baton Rouge in August and I'll give you all the details over a beer. Most importantly, I've learned A LOT... First, that my kids won't respect me if I don't respect them first. One on one conversations can work wonders. Making a lesson fun and engaging is the most effective behavior management tool. Progress doesn't happen over night, but it DOES happen. All of this became extremely worth it to me when yesterday I saw one student (who was labeled a "non-reader" on our beginning-of-summer reading diagnostic) read the title of a book I laid in front of him. I literally had to choke back tears when I realized our small-group reading had progressed him from a non-reader to a reader over a 2 week period.

Although most of my time involves being in the classroom, writing lesson plans or working on things for my classroom, or attending professional development to make my classroom better, I've gotten to know A LOT of people in TFA from all over the country that now feel like people I've known for years. And the best part is that we have all come together for the same reason. It's incredible to meet these brave people who have left their friends and family and uprooted themselves to come serve children who deserve a quality education. There's Julianne (a fellow South Louisiana teacher) from New Jersey who is here because she knows she can give all of her special education students what they need to succeed, despite where they come from. There's Katie (who will teach right here in the MS Delta) from New York who is here because her heart of gold yearns to help young people around her have a great education. There is Stephanie (fellow SLA) from Italy via California via Nebraska who is here because she selflessly knows that there are problems in the American education system that are more important than continuing her beautiful life abroad. There is Emily (my summer adviser and former Arkansas teacher) from South Carolina who has fallen in love with teaching children in rural Arkansas and will attend the Clinton School of Public Policy to further her education about these children she so fiercely wants to work with. The people here are AMAZING. They have realized that our education system is broken. They know that they can't simply come in and save the day, but they can give back to individual students, then classrooms, then schools, then school systems, and ONE DAY... every child in America.

I'd also like to point out that I'm in one of the most historical and culturally rich places in the United States, and I've really enjoyed getting to see some of it. Some highlights: eating catfish and drinking beer on the quad of Delta State University, talking to the community members who so generously donated their food, drinks, and time to show us some southern hospitality. Spending Friday night at Po' Monkey's Juke Joint in Merigold, a 1-room house in between rows of cotton, singing along with the gospel band as they jammed Led Zeppelin. Swimming and catching rays at Grenada Lake, making me almost forget about the million lesson plans I'll have to work on tomorrow. The Delta is a place where the people's kindness makes you (almost) forget about the killer mosquitoes and hellish weather.

On a VERY happy note, I just signed and sent my lease to my new landlord for my house in Louisiana! I am living in Baton Rouge's oldest and most historic neighborhood, Spanish Town. Spanish Town is a neighborhood downtown that claims the city's largest Mardi Gras parade and an eclectic culture (Houston friends - think The Heights). My house was built in 1910 and is painted bright colors and has amazingggg front and back porches, probably my favorite part of the house. It is also within walking distance to the grocery store, farmers market, public library, state capitol and capitol park. I absolutely cannot wait to move into this wonderful home and be a part of a neighborhood with such a vibrant history.

2 more weeks left of Institute - LETS DO THIS!

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Cajun State of Mind

WOW! I just finished Induction week into Teach For America here in Baton Rouge and I can honestly say it was one of the best weeks of my life. As I write this, I'm sitting in a dorm room of West Hall on the LSU campus. I am already totally in love with Baton Rouge and all the people I have met so far.

Arriving here on Tuesday was scary, exciting, hot hot hot (90s), and amazing. Teach For America hosted a dinner for us at the Louisiana State Museum in downtown Baton Rouge to welcome us to the city. We got to hear from some very talented students in the South Louisiana school systems - very inspiring. I also got to meet a TON of new people that night, including my amazing small group for the week: Leigh Phillips (a fellow Delta Gamma!), Stephanie Marino, and Donovan Propst. I met people from Washington, New Jersey, California, Italy, Mexico, and anywhere else you can think of! From the first night, I felt totally welcome here.

On Wednesday we got to go out into the town and do some community service. My group went to Thrive Baton Rouge, a charter boarding school in East Baton Rouge founded by TFA Alumna Sarah Broome. It was completely amazing to see how she has literally built a school from the ground up where at-risk kids are succeeding in multiple capacities. We helped paint, move mattresses, and get our hands dirty in all kinds of stuff at Thrive.

I got to take a visit down to Donaldsonville and visit the school I will be teaching at, Lowery Elementary! This week, I discovered that there is a huge portion of our corps teaching in Donaldsonville, and several at my school, and even in my grade. We made a trip down there and got to roam the halls, talk to employees, peak our heads in the summer school classes, and get a feel for the school. We also drove around many parts of Donaldsonville. The striking differences between the huge mansions on acreage and the tiny houses squished together just blocks away confirmed why I was brought to the community. Donaldsonville is a place where there is poverty lurking behind every corner, including the corners of large nice houses. We also got the chance to eat at First and Last Chance Cafe in Downtown Donaldsonville and I enjoyed an awesome shrimp po-boy.

Future teachers of Lowery Elementary and Middle Schools

Last night was our closing dinner at Boudreax's, an awesome restaurant in Baton Rouge. I got to be a speaker at the dinner, along with two other amazing corps members, Kim and Aaron, along with other inspirational people, including Sarah Broome, founder of Thrive, who I mentioned earlier. This closing dinner was especially inspirational to me, getting to hear the voices of fellow corps members, chat with community members and supporters of Teach For America, and overall feeling the South Louisiana love of everyone around me. It's amazing how the week brought us so close together in such a short amount of time. I KNOW we are going to do great things in this region and ultimately reach our goal of giving EVERY kid the chance at an amazing education. After meeting everyone and seeing how great this community is, I am certain this is a goal we can achieve.

Leigh, me, and Julianne celebrating the end of Induction

Tomorrow, we head to Cleveland, Mississippi for Institute, where we will be teaching at summer schools throughout the Mississippi Delta. I can't wait to see what that is like since I honestly have no idea what to expect. The only thing I can hope for is an equally amazing experience to the one I just had in Baton Rouge!

Rocky Mountain High

I am officially off my Rocky Mountain high (and quite depressed about it). I took a 12 day vacation to New Mexico and Colorado with my parents and Alex and we had a BLAST! I'm going to highlight each of the places we went...

Taos, New Mexico

Taos, NM is an absolutely awesome, funky hippie town in the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico. The house we rented had a killer view and we heard coyotes at night. The amount of hiking we tried to squeeze in to the few days we were there was crazy.

Williams Lake

The first hike we went on was called Williams Lake. It is one of the most popular hikes of Taos and we were told the snow would be packed in enough that we could get up to the lake without any problems. It was our first day hiking in Taos and the lack of oxygen and 3 ft snow was tough, but we made it! The lake is at an elevation of about 11,000 and it was somewhat frozen over when we got there - the consistency of a Sonic slushy. We had lunch up there and saw a jack rabbit, chipmunks, and TONS of marmots (which I am very fond of).

Rio Grande Gorge

The Rio Grande river is just a few miles from the town of Taos, so we went to check it out. There was a short hike through the gorge down to Manby Hot Springs - but we didn't know the hot springs were clothing optional when we started the hike! The hot springs were just warm enough to soak in (in our swim suits) and the view at the river bank was great. On our way back up the gorge, we caught this awesome view of the Rio Grande and even saw a herd of big horn sheep across the river. We watched them graze and ram horns for a long time. Clearly, it was an eventful hike.

Crested Butte, Colorado

Last year, the 4 of us went to Ridgway, Telluride, and Ouray, CO and absolutely fell in love with the area. We decided to try somewhere new this year, and surprise, surprise - we fell in love with it. Crested Butte, CO is a GORGEOUS town with so much to do and the nicest locals around. We went during low season (between ski season and wildflower season), so the town was also really quiet and sleepy, giving us the perfect opportunity to make it ours - and did we ever.

Horseback Riding

One day, Alex and I went horseback riding through the mountains. We actually had to go to a lower elevation to ride the horses so we wouldn't run into snow. Because of the lower elevation, we saw plenty of wildflowers on the trail! We also caught an awesome view of the San Juan Mountains and had a run in with a couple of herds of mule deer. If you are ever in the area, I definitely recommend you take a horseback ride with Chuck at Fantasy Ranch Outfitters. We had a great time!

Our Wonderful House/Lake

One of my favorite things about Crested Butte was the house we stayed at. In the picture above, you can see our house towards the bottom of the picture in the center, looking out over that lake, Nicholson Lake. My parents took this picture on the Lupine Trail hike they did that went behind our house and offered this killer view of Crested Butte. The house is outside of town and a bit more secluded. We ended up cooking dinner in at the house more nights than we went out because the house and it's view of the lake and mountains were so stunning. And there were plenty of marmots running around the neighborhood, which I loved. All I know is this: I have never enjoyed sitting on the porch enjoying a cup of coffee more than I did at this house!

Judd Falls Trail

If you drive a few miles north of Crested Butte's ski area, you come to a tiny tiny town called Gothic (that isn't even accessible during the winter time). A local had told us about some good hikes up there, so we went to hike Judd Falls Trail. It ended up being one of our favorite hikes! Early into the hike, we stumbled up (literally, we just walked right up to him) this guy - a beautiful red fox! He was standing no more than 20 yards from us - hence the amazing picture. We didn't know how to react because we have heard foxes are incredibly scared of people. Much to our surprise, the little dude hung around and just looked at us curiously for a couple of minutes. Then, he (slowly) walked off like it was no big deal! My mom later called him our "Angel Fox" because of how long he hung around with us. Not only was the fox amazing, but Judd Falls, the waterfall we came to, was also incredible. This hike was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me and gave us a wonderful view of Gothic Mountain.

Ouray, Colorado

Since we enjoyed Ouray so much last summer, we knew we had to go back. Unlike Crested Butte and Telluride, Ouray is not a ski town, rather an old mining town that has more of a country western feel and a famous ice park that brings people with their ice picks every winter. We discovered it also has some of the coolest hiking in Colorado.

Staying in Ouray

We stayed at the China Clipper Inn, a Bed and Breakfast right off of Main Street in Ouray. We loved it! The view from our window was wonderful and the hot, homeade breakfasts were amazing. Also, our host Ingrid was very hospitable and gave us great restaurant recommendations. Our favorite restaurant in Ouray turned out to be one of her recommendations, Bon Ton. Bon Ton was a hidden gem - literally! It is an Italian restaurant in a hotel cellar that had AMAZING food. Alex had all you can eat pasta and all of it was insanely delicious with a great atmosphere.

Old Horsethief Trail

Again, the Ouray hiking didn't disappoint. We hiked Old Horsethief Trail, one that starts just north of town. We have come to realize that since Ouray is nestled in a tiny area between a ton of mountains, on all the hikes that lead out of town, the only place to go is up! On Old Horsethief, we gained a ton of elevation and received awesome views in multiple directions. The picture above is a view over downtown Ouray with Whitehouse Mountain as the backdrop. The view got cooler and cooler as we got higher. Icing my feet in the Uncompahgre River afterwards was just an added bonus!

Telluride, Colorado

Although we didn't stay overnight in Telluride, we made a day trip there because we love it so much. The Mountain Film Festival was taking place while we were there, so it was fun to see that going on. We walked the shops of downtown Telluride, enjoyed coffee overlooking Bridal Veil Falls, and took the gondola up the mountain for a fancy dinner. We also got to see a herd of elk on the outskirts of town - one animal we hadn't seen on the trip yet!

Allred's

Allred's is a restaurant in Telluride on the summit of the ski mountain. The only way to get there (besides walking) is by the gondola that takes you up the mountain. We discovered Allred's last summer and have been dying to come back. We got there the minute it opened because we wanted to get the best window seat possible and, judging by the picture I took, I think we did! We sipped on red wine and Moscow Mules while looking at this view over the town of Telluride with snow-capped mountains in the background. It was probably one of the most perfect evenings of the trip!

Hopefully it's easy to see why I love the Rocky Mountains so much! We had a great time and are ALREADY planning our trip back!

Adventures in Arizona

Okay, I admit it. I never thought .... anything .... about the state of Arizona at all. Now I must admit, that's only because I had never been. After taking a 6 day trip to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, AZ, I have completely fallen in love with the state! My mom and I decided to take a mother daughter trip to Arizona to get in some good hiking before I leave, and we were both blown away.

To be honest, we spent 90% of our time hiking and eating... for good reasons! The red rocks in that area of the country are breathtaking, especially for someone who is used to flat, brown fields, and we found some great restaurants that seem to have escaped the typical tourist traps.

Instead of boring ya'll with all the details, I'm going to write and post pictures about 3 of the most interesting parts of the trip:
1. Grand Canyon
2. Devil's Bridge Hike
3. Airport Mesa Sunset

The Grand Canyon

When I first saw the canyon, it was surreal. It literally seems to go on, and on, and on, and on, and ... okay you get the picture.. The thing is HUGE! Also, it's crawling with tourists, especially with the fabulous weather they're having right now. I wanted to get down and actually see some of the canyon and get away from the tourists, so I woke up at the crack of dawn and took a hiking trail down the canyon. It's amazing how it rose from 30 degrees to 85 in the first 30 minutes of my hike (thank God for layering)! I hiked 4 miles down into the canyon, then decided to come back up because I heard that the ascent is much harder than the descent. Surprise, surprise, at the end of 8 miles I was EXHAUSTED! Coming up took me nearly twice as long, and I felt like an old decrepit woman afterwards, but it was totally worth it. If you ever find yourself at the Grand Canyon, head down one of the hiking trails to really see what's down there - I saw elk, mule deer, chipmunks, minks, and eagles. And don't forget to eat at El Tovar!

Devil's Bridge Hike

See that tiny blob of color out there over that huge natural arch thing? That's me! When my mom and I first planned this trip to Sedona and I (naturally) Googled everything I could about the place, it was clear that Devil's Bridge was one of the top things to see. The road to get to the trail head of this hike isn't suitable for most vehicles (like the little Camry we were renting), so we had to walk down a mile long rocky dirt road just to get to the trail head. But it was SO worth it! Now, I have to admit... when we got to the actual bridge, I was terrified. I sat down like a child, refusing to go out over the arch. I even sat and took pictures while my mom walked out there, all smiles and confidence. I finally got up the courage to walk out there - and thank goodness I did! The bridge wasn't as narrow as it looks - maybe 5 or 6 feet - and I didn't feel like I was standing on an arch. Talk about a rush! I definitely recommend this hike to anyone in the area. The last quarter mile of the ascent is more like a scramble up rocks and it was really fun.

Airport Mesa Sunset

I didn't know sunsets actually got this color in real life! In Texas, sunsets are all sorts of pink and yellow and purple, but none are truly ORANGE. In Arizona, however, I guess things like this happen, so my mom and I went out to Airport Mesa, a large mesa that overlooks Sedona, to watch the sunset. Unfortunately, over 200 other tourists had the same idea as us, so the place was swamped with cameras and fanny packs from all end of the earth. But once that sun hit the horizon of those red rocks, it was worth it.


What I'm Currently Reading:

When one door closes...

This weekend my Aunt Cathryn and Cousin Adrienne kindly reminded me that if I don't actually blog, no one is going to read my blog! I certainly do have a lot to share from the past couple of weeks.

April 12 was my last day of student teaching at Spring Oaks Middle School. The day was completely bittersweet for me. Saying goodbye to my students was hard, but the hugs and notes that I got were priceless. Finishing the student teaching journey was a huge accomplishment for me. The end of it brings me one step closer to graduating and going to Louisiana to keep changing kids' lives!

One things from student teaching that can't be ignored is how much my perspective widened on another culture. The Spring Oaks student population is 85% Hispanic and it completely opened my eyes to an amazing way of life. First off, the language. I learned to love Spanish so much, especially the cuss words 8th graders like to throw around (they only think I didn't know). The language, the music (YouTube "Trival music"), the emphasis on family, and of course - the food. One of my favorite things on the last day of my student teaching was when one of my students brought his accordion from home to play some original Spanish tunes for me. I even got to try it out for myself!

All in all, it was a fabulous last day. I brought home plenty of sweet posters and notes, but here is one of my favorites:

So now that student teaching is over, it's been all about relaxing and having fun! I have about 3 weeks until I graduate so I have a lot planned. Last weekend, my Dad and I went on one of our traditional father-daughter trips to South Texas to go hunting. We go every year in December and April. Although I've shot many animals there, I got to add something new to the list this time: my first turkey! Now for all ya'll sitting back wondering how I could do that to an animal, don't worry - we are going to cook it - think of it as Thanksgiving in April!

Check out the bird:

Pretty cool, right?

If anyone knows me, they know I LOVE crawfish. It's a good thing I'm moving to Louisiana, because I will be able to eat crawfish allllll spring when I get there. Today, there was a crawfish festival in Kemah (little town on the Texas boardwalk), so I went with some friends to get some cajun food and listen to zydeco music. I even got my face painted and got to hang out with my best friend, Lauren.

Well, I think that's about it for now! I will try to stay more consistent with my posting and not be so broad in my posts. I'm still trying to figure this whole blog thing out.

What I'm currently reading:

Welcome to My Blog!

With some major changes coming up in my life, I figured it was time actually start recording the things I'm going through. I was recently accepted to Teach For America, a non-profit organization that takes young leaders across the country and places them in low-income areas to teach students who primary live in poverty. Starting in August, I will be teaching at Lowery Elementary in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, a small, rural factory town on the Mississippi River.

In the next year I will be living in the 3 different place: Houston, Texas, Cleveland, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Through this blog, I intend to share the different perspectives I gain from these places, as well as to share my travels. Expect to see some fun photos from Arizona, Colorado, and who knows where else!

Please see the "About Kate" page to learn a little about me. Thanks for reading!

"I can see the lights of the next town
And I can't slow down"