Sometimes the Silly Things are the Most Important

“Miss Megan, you have dirt on your eyes.” This was not the reaction I expected when I decided, for the first time in a few weeks, to wear makeup to session. Kids sure do tell it like it is, no sugar coated flattery there. I took a moment to explain to my Jumpstart buddy that I was wearing makeup, not dirt. He looked up at me a bit bewildered for a couple seconds and responded something along the lines of “oh…well that’s weird.”  Harsh. I’ll admit, at first I was a bit taken aback, after all it took some time to put that makeup on, but then I couldn’t help but smile. After a quick chuckle I jumped back into reading Gilberto and the Wind, but was left with a lingering thought, Jumpstart finally clicked for me.

            I don’t quite know why it was this moment that realization came to me, but suddenly it seemed as if every question I asked, my Jumpstart friends could answer with ease. They no longer rolled around on the carpet during Welcome, but rather sounded the letters in their names like they were getting paid to do it. Maybe it was how when Circle Time rolled around, my two partner children asked for my book and handed it to my Team Leader for me then each grabbed one of my hands and happily made their way to the circle, asking me to sit next to them, rather than me corralling them like I’ve had to in the past. Though I’m not sure what exactly clicked in our routine, I’m certainly glad it did. Since that day at the beginning of the months, my reading and Center Times have gone so much smoother.

            In the back of my mind, I’ve always had the notion that I was somehow helping out, but for the first time I could truly see that the hours of material prep, rush hour Metro trips, and persistence were paying off.  I’d be hard pressed to say that I’ve felt more elated to accomplish something. I know that by the time my Jumpstart friends are my age, they will most likely have no recollection of me other than a tomato-red shirted blur, but I can easily say that for the rest of my life I will remember these children, what they learned, and in turn, taught me.

~Megan O'toole
Corps member
Team Learning 1