Davis High

6/11/07 Jefferson Davis High School, Houston, TX

5:30 AM Slowly woke up from the alarm clock. It's too early... but I did get enough sleep the night before.

6:00 AM Breakfast in the RfoC (cafetaria) - 500 people congregated together, fighting for the breakfast line, coffee line and the fruit line. Stepping outside the common, the lunch line is jammed with professionally-dressed bodies - everyone needs a lunch at school. Knowing I very well might miss the bus, I stepped into the line because I cannot miss the opportunity for food.

6:36 AM "Davis bus is right there", the TFA staff pointed to the first bus. I followed her finger and we both stared for 5 seconds as the bus slowly pulled away. Amidst all the chaos, I wanted to chase after it like I normally do, but thought of a better alternative. Ben and I rode followed the bus, I was still slightly bitter that I couldn't catch up to it. Starting tomorrow, my goal is to catch the bus at all times - that's my big goal for the summer.

7:00 AM - 4:00 PM Nine hours of presentations after presentations, speeches followed by more. So much information to take it, yet so little time. The one deeply ingrained motivation that sustained me throughout the day were the stats on state standards in the TFA regions. The results of low expectations is finally hitting me as I read aloud the stats for New Mexico:

"By 4th grade, apx. 92% of Native American students score "basic or below basic" on a national reading exam (leaving only about 8% proficient or advanced). By 8th grade, apx. 96% score basic/below basic on a national math exam (leaving only about 4% proficient/advanced)"

We also broke up into our Corps Member Advisory (CMA) groups, which we will be spending a lot of times with for the next 4 weeks. That's mind-boggling, 25 days altogether at the insitute, and only 20 days altogether to teach students, who are in a credit-recovery program, which would enable them to either graduate or move onto the next grade. Such a short amount of time to cover materials and watch them grow in terms of academic progress.

The rest of the day was a blur with an overload of information that I don't think I'll be able to absorb all at once.

4:50 PM Discovered the University of Houston's athletic center and the natatorium. Huge pool! So many lanes... Luckily I bought a swim suit not too long ago. The swim felt great, definitely a much needed stress-reliever from a day of chaos.

6:00 PM A rushed dinner, fighting for the multiple food line.

7:00 PM After the little time I had with to eat my food, we rushed over to the auditorium to attend the opening ceremony. Each corps region had their own cheer, the bigger groups obviously was a lot louder than us. All the crazyness was very intense... The night went on after all the regions were introduced, 3 corps members went on the stage to describe their teaching experience. Wendy Kopps, the founder and now CEO of TFA, also came on stage and gave a speech, but it wasn't as aspiring and exciting as the three corps members' story. Most people were almost on the verge of tears, including myself. It's good that we are getting more and more aspired and motivated.