The Lorax Part II

Today was the big day. After over a month of practicing, Matthew would read The Lorax to the second graders. He came in this morning and you could just feel the energy. He was nervous, but we both knew that this was his day.

He had practiced a ton, both with me in the mornings and with his mom each evening. His progress and fluency were pushing miraculous- I remember overhearing him read it to another one of my students during after school tutoring last week and being awe-struck by how incredible it sounded. Dr. Seuss books aren't easy reads, especially this one. They are filled with strange words and complex rhyme schemes. He was emphasizing all the right words and used great expression. I guess it goes to show that if you want anything bad enough, you can get there.

There were about 10 middle school readers total, and they met in the library during first period. I snuck away from my 8th grade Italian class because this was something that I would die before missing. The readers all received Dr. Seuss hats and then headed across the courtyard to the elementary school. Matthew was excited to be back at his old school and excitedly wondered aloud if he would see some of his old teachers. When we reached the classroom he was reading to, he was greeted by Mr. Sutton, his fifth grade teacher, and Mrs. Kumai, his speech language pathologist. I can't even describe how much he lit up. This was his day, and it was getting even better by the minute.

I won't deny that I was still pretty nervous about how everything would go. But just like that, Matthew was in front of the students with the composure of an experienced teacher. This kid is full of surprises, but I had no idea he was such an entertainer. He engaged the kids, cracked jokes, controlled the floor, and smiled the entire time. It was pretty amazing to watch. His reading was better than ever before. Talk about stepping up to the plate and delivering.

When the reading was finished, the crowd cheered and Matthew received a few gifts. We took some pictures and congratulated him. He was on top of the world. All of his hard work had paid off, and some important people in his life had been able to see it. Not to mention that his dad had just come back from Iraq on Thursday. Nothing could hold back that grin.

"That football is finally mine!" he proclaimed to me. Have you ever been around someone who is that happy? Someone who is 40 feet off the ground, walking on air, loving every second of life? The joy is contagious. It feels pretty good. I'm glad I could be a little part of it for him.






The weather's been a little bit chilly out here. Everyone reading this back on the mainland is probably scoffing at me, but temperature is truly relative. Your body gets used to the warmth, and then you wake up and it's in the 50s. I've been driving to school with my heat blasting for the past three weeks, which I never thought I'd do.

But that didn't stop us from going down to Waikiki on Saturday to see Jimmy Buffet live at the Waikiki Shell. What a great show! I'm not a huge Buffet fan, but I dig his lifestyle and a few of his tunes, and the concert was well worth it.

A big Aloha to all my friends and family on the Mainland. I think it's a pretty good time of year for everyone- spring break's almost here, March Madness is around the corner, and the snow's finally starting to melt. Keep on pushing through!