Why We Do This

At the end of last semester, Team Kindness had the chance to represent AU at the All-Corps event. We had a ton of fun doing our Jumpstart-friendly pop/rap medley. While we were mainly just trying to be funny with our performance, I think one of the lyrics in our song has really typified my personal motto for this semester. In our rap, we talk about how the different aspects of our session are for the “kids at Sunshine” and for me I know that this has definitely been the key motivator for me this semester.

While I have enjoyed my experience as a corps member overall, to be honest, this semester has required a lot more effort this semester. As the newness of the corps member experience has worn off, a lot of the aspects of Jumpstart that came with a lot of ease have become difficult. Session plans become more complex, materials need to be improved, transportation issues compound and in all of it the purpose of what I’m doing gets lost… and then my partner child recognizes a word I taught her. And another recognizes that the upside down “W” is actually an “M”. And things begin to get clear again.

I have woken up many mornings of session, with no desire to make the trek to campus or even to do the “Eentsy Weensty Spider”. But upon entering the classroom and see the looks upon the students faces, when their teacher says “Look guys, your Jumpstart friends are here!” my outlook changes completely. While I still wouldn’t have minded that extra hour of sleep I could have gotten, I realize that I needed to be here more than I needed those extra 40 winks.

The larger picture of what we are trying to do as a part of Jumpstart can easily get lost in the minutiae of session plans and team meetings and materials creation, but they can easily be found in the words of a four year old learning the concept of absorption and the wind. Taking in these small victories and realizing the larger story we are helping to write in the lives of these kids learning experience has helped me to remain grounded (and sane) in the midst of a hectic semester.

~Paul Barrett
Corps member
Team Kindness