A few weeks ago I served as the music leader at Vacation Bible School at my church. It was my third year to take on this role, and as we neared the beginning of the week-long event, I found myself wondering why I ever said “yes.” What was I thinking? Had I forgotten how exhausted I was last year by the end of the week? Now, approaching 65 and feeling more often the aches and pains of arthritis, I had…
Robert was one of those high school students who took awhile to grow on me. In the beginning, like so many others, he was so tough and defiant – way too cool for school at Juvenile Detention Center (JDC), especially when I expected him to join in singing “The Birdie Song.” He didn’t say it, but I could read it in his face, “You want me to do what??? You’re crazy, lady!” BY NANCY KIDD Then just like the many others…
This week I issue my heartfelt thanks to all of you for following me at Gather the Good. We have been up and running for two months now. I am thrilled by the positive responses, and I look forward to sharing more stories with you. BY NANCY KIDD I know so little about technology, but my friend/editor Laura Mabry tells me to just keep writing. She takes my words and makes them magically appear online, fancying them up with photos…
Thirteen-year-old Brandon arrived at detention with a look of pure innocence. Short and slightly round, he had eyes that lit up when he smiled. Although his appearance was cherubic, his behavior was definitely not. BY NANCY KIDD Brandon was volatile to the point staff sometimes had to restrain him. For the safety of all, he seldom appeared in class with other students. It seemed staff members were constantly dealing with his dramatic outbursts. When he began to show tendencies of…
Andrew* was a challenge. His behavior wasn’t rude, aggressive or violent. He just refused to come to school. BY NANCY KIDD For reasons unknown to me, Andrew chose to stay in his room rather than participate in the school program. That meant he could not join the other detainees for recreational activities, special programs or group meals. He was alone in his dreary cell — a thin vinyl-covered mattress atop a raised concrete platform/bed and a stainless steel toilet and…
BY NANCY KIDD When our boys were in middle school and high school, my husband and I bought a small karaoke machine for Christmas, something we both thought seemed like a fun gift. Although we may have felt a bit underwhelmed by the boys’ level of excitement, when I took it to detention, the students’ responses were more animated. It was a new experience for most of them, and it was a rare opportunity to relax and have some fun….
BY NANCY KIDD I suppose we all have periods in our lives when we feel defeated and overwhelmed, times when the weight of the world holds us pinned motionless to the mat. As much as I have tried to resist, I find myself in that position right now. I strive to live a joy-filled life, and much of the time, by focusing on gratitude and positivity, I float through my days feeling lighthearted and at peace. At this moment, however,…
BY NANCY KIDD I am not a person who likes to debate controversial issues. I tend to stick to the rule of polite conversation that recommends avoiding religion and politics. On top of that, I started this blog to highlight the good in our midst, particularly the unexpected goodness I experienced in my years of teaching at a juvenile detention center. Despite my intentions, I now find myself unable to ignore issues repeatedly finding their way to the forefront of…
BY NANCY KIDD Detention is a cold institution where kids have little privacy and where they don’t make a move without getting permission from a staff member. Kids have no access to cell phones, the internet, or any type of social media. Television viewing is limited and closely monitored. Their meals, prepared by inmates at the nearby county jail, consist of a lot of white bread, beans, and rice. Knowing all this, it is unbelievable anyone would ever deliberately want…
BY NANCY KIDD Like many of the kids I taught in detention, before I first walked through the door, I never, ever dreamed I’d end up there. And once inside, just as many of them did, I found myself wondering, “What in the world have I gotten myself into? Is this a dream?” It’s funny how life sometimes unfolds in unexpected ways. After college, I taught for two years but then moved back to Champaign-Urbana to be near family and…