The Last Day of School

June 11 was the last day of school. It also marked the end of my AmeriCorps service days this year. in total, I have completed 1,714 hours of service in 10 months, give or take an hour. I am tired.

We celebrated the end of the school year with a massive water fight. School let out at 1:00, with the usual rumbling and uncontrollable outbursts expected from kids about to be released into the wild of summer. The kids who stay after school, however, had 5 more hours before their freedom, and we would spend the next 5 hours preparing, executing, and recovering from a massive water balloon fight.

There were 4 tutors and about 50 kids who participated in this endeavor. We spent the first two hours filling water balloons, telling children to be patient, and trying to prevent the water fight from prematurely breaking out. Anyone who threw a water balloon before we began would have to sit out for the first 5 minutes of the real water balloon fight, and everyone knows those first 5 minutes are crucial. After that, you're really just throwing wetness as wetness.

Then, after two entire trash cans were filled to the brim with water balloons (in addition to multiple hidden stashes the kids filled themselves), we met in the cafeteria for a debriefing. We told the children, most importantly, after the fight we would be responsible for picking up all of the pieces of water balloons outside. That was the only rule.

Next in the cafeteria came the dissemination of additional weaponry. The 4th, 5th, and 6th grade tutor (or as I call her: Lisa, War Profiteer) bought cheap but effective super soakers for those of her kids that gave her a dollar. The only advice for these weapons: don't break them. And as an afterthought: maybe the big kids will share.

Then, at 3pm, we broke into teams and ran to the infield of the track. Each tutor's kids lined up on separate lines. Adi and I had only six kids between us. Robert had about 13. Lisa had 20, all much older, and armed with super soakers as well.

The fight was beautiful. I threw maybe 1 water balloon and spent the rest of the time running around screaming. The children were merciless. One kid ended up with a bloody nose. Another's glasses were broken in two. I've never heard more thrilled squeals and frantic laughter from these kids. I was soaked from head to toe. We all were.

The "weapons" kept getting refilled long after the water balloons ran out. The fight lasted for 40 minutes. In the end, everyone was soaking, and exhilarated.

Most kids went to change after the battle subsided. For those of us who hadn't brought spare clothes (including myself... I didn't think I'd get that wet!), we went to the basketball court, where the blacktop was scorching in the California sun, and we sprawled out in attempt to dry our clothes. It was the first time all year I've seen upwards of 15 children resting peacefully together. That lasted nearly as long as the war had.

As I dried out on the blacktop, basking in the sun with these 8-year-olds, all I could think was this: water balloons make great weapons.

The Fastest Kid in Salinas

I coached the winner of the 100M Dash for 5th Grade Boys. This is Jose Jaradmillo, my hero.

Photo brought to you by Angel Cruz, 5th Grade.

These Girls.

I'm assembling and organizing all of my pictures from the year, and it keeps hitting me: these children are beautiful. Especially the girls.

One of the saddest things for me is to look at the girls, and then look at their mothers, and think that before long, they will look as tired as they do. Most of the mothers are fairly young, but the sun, stress, poor health, and lots of work have not been kind to them. They are wrinkled, their hands are torn and callused, their skin pock-marked, their bodies overweight or their backs bent. Some of the mothers are my age, but they look at least five years older than me. I hope time is kind to my girls.

Then there are the girls who will choose to make themselves up and dress in ways they shouldn't for their age. The ones who will disrespect their bodies. The ones who will get pregnant in high school. The girls who might get pregnant before I do, even though they're 12 years younger than me.

But for now, they are beautiful, and I hope they stay beautiful.