Let Me Just Pause For a Second to Name EXACTLY What I Love About Teaching, Community-Engagement, JOY, and What Is Possible

Yesterday, I was invited by a Shakespeare scholar to lead a workshop for her students and several young people from an 8th grade class. For the last several months, her students have been working with young people to celebrate Shakespeare, the joy of literature, and the importance of community-engagement. I went with my Scripted workshop, and wrote an original play for them to perform as part of the workshop. I also challenged them to write their own scripts, which they did (in ten minutes) and by the end, we had 4, stellar on-the-go plays ready for performance. 

This was all due to Dr. Shannon Kelly (Louisville!!!) and her brilliance as a Shakespearean scholar. We also share several undergraduate students between our classes, and a love of taking the academic world to the young people who attend schools nearby that can benefit from the privileges of our campus. 

I am used to doing the Scripted workshop, and I have loved collaborating with Dr. Kelly. The magic, however, came from the the dedication of the young people of a partner school, their sponsors, and what our undergraduates were able to do over a period of a semester, and yesterday in the workshop.

I was simply blown away. There are no words to capture the brilliance of the young people, our students, and what Dr. Kelly's excellence brought to the work. I was merely a guest presenter and I had no idea what would result. I wish it was filmed. The students blew our brains away...not only for their creativity, but for the top-notch, community-engaged exemplar they offered to everyone in the room. 

To me, this is a model of what is possible when those in positions of extreme power, put their lifetime achievements together, to assist those who are not privy to the luxuries that some are provided. The result is stellar excellence from both bodies and parties. I have not words. Yesterday was simply incredible and I'm so thankful to experience such joy.