Airports provide great thinking spaces...

...so I figured I would update the blog! :).

As I sit in the Tulsa airport, where I have been spending my Spring Break (the city, not airport), I figured I would do a little update.

Before Spring Break began, there were lots of exciting, successful events that happened at school and in community!

To begin, we had a group from Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, MN come and join our community for a week! It was great to have a local group from home spend some time in NYC, and be reminded of the Lasallian mission across the country in the young students. While they joined us, they spent an afternoon at Loughlin, getting to know our students through Ice Breakers, as well as enjoying some traditional New York Pizza!! After enjoying a meal together, we prepared for one of our student's favorite service activities; Random Acts of Kindness (RAK). For RAK, we make sandwiches, carry different fruits, and walk the streets of Manhattan passing out our items to those who may need, while also along the way helping out, providing the people with random acts of kindness. It is a pretty sight to see the students break down their barriers, and really enjoy the experience and get into it; definitely makes for a proud Campus Minister!

The Loughlin students and myself who participated in the
Rhode Island Homeless Sleepout Awareness Night

During the visit from T-G, I  brought a group of BLMHS students to Rhode Island to be participants in their Homeless Sleepout Awareness Night. The 4 students from Loughlin and myself travelled Friday after school to RI, and made our way to the church where the event and activities would be taking place. The students heard from speakers who used to be homeless themselves, and how they were able to beat the system, and how we are to be advocates and raise awareness to help the constant issue. Also, they were able to see a movie, celebrate Mass, and pack hygiene care packages for a local shelter. Then it was on to the big event: sleeping outside with nothing but their sleeping bags and whatever belongings they had with them. From a teacher standpoint, it was a long evening, and the students would definitely agree. Our students were continuously tossing and turning on the brick paved area where they were sleeping, but truly were able to learn a lot from the experience, and can't wait to bring it back to our school, and begin planning!

The following week, we had 2 exciting things planned for the week: all-school Lenten Prayer Service with Reconciliation for those students who wished to receive, and the conclusion of our Lenten Penny Drive/War! Planning the Prayer Service was fairly easy compared to other such ones throughout the year, but it was reconciliation that got a little nerve-wracking. Having multiple priests from multiple parishes come to our school in a busy neighborhood of Brooklyn can get a little scary aka "Will we have enough priests here to begin the reconciliation, and still fit it all into 2 class periods?!" Needless to say, we were able to pull it off, and the students really showed a respect and reverence to the sacrament!

Some of the Loughlin Class of 2012 helping out with the Penny Drive!!

The Lenten Penny Drive/War has been my biggest stress the past 6 weeks, but I can report it was very successful. The rules seem pretty easy: all pennies equal positive points, and silver and green equal negative points whatever their denomination value (i.e. $0.25 = -25 points). It was awesome to see the great school spirit put forth by all of our students to help raise money, as well as a little bit of healthy competition between the different houses in the House System! In the end, all of the money would be donated to our sister school St. Mary's in Nyeri, Kenya! I am so excited to say that we raised $3,945.76!! For my first year truly running a project like this, I am very pleased and gracious for the student's and staff's donations!!

The last big event for the Loughlin community before heading into Spring Break was one last Lenten Prayer Service! Melissa and I came up with the idea for Stations of the Cross, across the street at the church, and it was awesome! Each of our grade levels were able to complete it during one full class period, and they truly learned about what the stations are, and experienced another way to pray! :). This Lenten season really provided me with a sense of pride in our Loughlinites, and where we can go with it next year in Campus Ministry!

My last big event before being able to truly begin Spring Break was our annual Holy Week Retreat with Lasallian Youth and Campus Ministry, upstate in beautiful Goshen, NY!! Not having to plan the retreat was definitely a blessing, because unfortunately the minute we arrived my sinuses began acting up, and I acquired a beautiful cough, constant nose drainage , and sore throat. :(. The students were awesome however, and yet again, learned a lot from our guest retreat leader Tony Bellizzi! (If anyone ever gets the opportunity to experience one of his retreats, I encourage you to jump at the chance, because it is TOTALLY worth it!)

Now brings us to the big, exciting SPRING BREAK! 

I have had it planned for several months to head out and visit my best friend, Sean, in Tulsa, OK where he is currently serving for the year. I was very excited to get away, and head back to the Midwest! When I arrived I was able to relax for a little bit, and then we headed out to see the city! Now, I went into the tour of the city with an open mind knowing it was smaller than New York City, but I was not expecting to have it done in just a little over a half hour. Lol. But really, I could definitely see myself spending some time back in Tulsa if provided the chance. It is an amazing city; small, beautiful, and real!!

Saturday night I got to experience the local scene of downtown Tulsa, and let me tell you, it was AWESOME! The bars were very local and chill; definitely my kind of style! I made it a mission to go to "The Max" (yes, named and modeled after Saved by the Bell). Really, how could you not enjoy a bar that had a bunch of 80's arcade games (ex: Skee Ball, Pin Ball, Pac-Man/Ms. Pac-Man, etc.) Then, it was off to the local LV hangout location (McNellies), and I understand why! McNellies is probably the coolest pub I have ever been to, with so many different beers to try on tap or in bottle, plus being able to play shuffle board was also pretty awesome. Nonetheless, it was a great way to celebrate my first real night of Spring Break!

For Easter, it was much more chill, but needed. Sharing in the Tulsa community Sunday television tradition, we began the day with a 4 hour NCIS marathon, and went from there! The afternoon was spent frolfing (frisbee golf) at a local park, and it was beautiful out! It is not a sport that I am particularly good at, but it is an opportunity to be outside and have fun with friends! The night was spent watching the new Muppets movie with the community (Br. Richard and Br. Chris), and enjoying a delicious Easter meal of Kraft Mac & Cheese and grilled BBQ chicken. It was not the traditional family celebration Easter that I am used to, but it was nice to spend it with my best friend and the brothers!

Monday of Spring Break was way chillax and way needed. The morning began early, having b-fast with one of Sean's friend Jamie. She brought us Chick-Fil-A early morning as she was headed off to work (no Easter Monday off for public schools...). Being only my 2nd time having Chick-Fil-A, it was amazing and definitely lives up to all the hype. Ha. It was then back to bed, and getting up around noon to attempt a "start" to the day :). Afternoon was eventful with a quick tour of San Miguel school to get some quick business done, and then back to community to be lazy. A tradition that has been created with the LV's out there is found back at McNellies on Monday nights, and its called PINT NIGHT!! The basic premise involves buying the beer of the week and receiving a free pint glass. Simple. I feel for sure a part of the tradition/an honorary member of the Tulsa LVs!! Monday ended with a beautiful run to the airport to pick up Br. Anthony (Tony) with whom I did my LTIP experience way back in freshman year at Lewis. It was awesome to see him and catch up with him on life since spending 16, very close weeks together traveling and teaching! It truly is amazing how friendships remain, even after years of not seeing each other!!

Tuesday provided a new experience for me that I was very excited about! I got my first opportunity to be a substitute teacher at the San Miguel School, working with the 7th and 8th grade science courses. Now, if you are asking yourself if I enjoy science, the answer is NO, however, I had confidence I could help them out for sho; and I was right! :). It was a lot of fun getting to the know the students Sean works with, and I can see why the San Miguel schools carry so much Lasallian character! It was quite the exciting day, and I learned another awesome perk to being a Lasallian Volunteer: you can do just about anything at any of the other LV sites, including subbing. ;). I must admit though, I was exhausted at the end of the day, and I only had to watch really 3.5 classes. :/. Getting home was relaxing, and took to my usual afternoon past time - napping!!

As I sit in the airport finishing this up, I have to just wonder if at times strange entertainment just has this way of following me. Currently, I have TSA running around chasing a bird that got inside the Tulsa airport with a large net trying to catch it. I mean, literally chasing this bird in large circles around the gate that I am sitting at. Secondly, an old(er) woman showed up a few minutes ago pushing a stroller, and I found it curious that it looked like there was nothing inside. However, when she rode past, I took a quick look inside, and saw a dog being pushed around, and to top it off, it had clothes on. Really, the clothes don't even top it, but rather the baby talk she is speaking to this dog, and expressing her feelings about life to it. I mean, really?! How I am the one that experiences all of this?! I am finding a camera crew to come along on my life and make sure that all this is documented, because really, there is no other way of showing people this happens to me than through video/pictures. Once I'm rich and famous, look out, it will happen!! :).

Well, the call for boarding has begun, but this has truly been an entertaining update for me, and hopefully for you too!!

Live Jesus In Our Hearts. Forever!