And the school year begins...

It was so great to have our first official day of school yesterday, however, I will have to readjust back into wearing "teacher" clothes all the time again. (I really need to find a job wearing gym shorts and t-shirts all day like I had during the summer!). 

Happiness Journal (Sept. 10):

• seeing the full student body returning to school with excitement and anticipation of the upcoming year! 
• student quote: (walking into our newly painted office) "So this is the new crib...I like." [not sure how I feel about my office being called a "crib" but if it gets more students to come and visit, I'll take it...]
• having a delicious Minnesota delicacy for dinner : Tater Tot Hot Dish!! yummmm.
• buying Dunkin' Donuts Pumpkin Spice ground coffee so I can make my own at home and save on money #lifeofavolunteer

"The influence of a good teacher can never be erased" -Unknown

Happiness Journal (Sept 11):

• having the whole student represented through unity of the terrorist attacks wearing remembrance pins all day
• presenting to some of the freshmen religion classes about "Who is John Baptist de La Salle?" and "What does it mean to be Lasallian?"
• finding "Headless (Lasallian) Horseman" in our house tonight after dinner [see picture below...]
• receiving a package from one of my college campus minister's, Sabrina, with an awesome shirt from one of my favorite mission trips we do! 

"525,600 minutes. 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes, how do you measure, measure a year?" - RENT (it has officially been 1 year since I have started working a Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School; where has the time gone?)

"Headless (Lasallian) Horseman"

Live Jesus In Our Hearts. Forever!

Gots to catch up...

Happiness Journal (Sept. 6):

• wearing my new Cordero House shirt 
• participating in Freshman Field Day with the Cordero House (even though we had the least amount of participants, the students did awesome!)
• seeing all the freshman get excited about participating in our service project on Saturday
• Finishing the new bulletin board in the office over Melissa's desk 

"You must also lead them to practice well all the good of which they are capable." -Saint John Baptist de La Salle

The awesome bulletin board that is above Melissa's desk! 

Happiness Journal (Sept. 7):

• being able to participate finally in #LVPoloFriday (we received a polo at Orientation that people talked about wearing during the school year every Friday; being that we haven't started school yet, today we had students in the building, I figured I could wear it!)
• more eager students coming to find me at the end of the day to get permission slips for the service project
• 3D's: Dinner, Drinks, and Dessert with my LV Alum mentor Amanda at my favorite restaurant in the Bronx --> Bronx Ale House! 
• watching Hot Rod as I fell asleep (Andy Samburg is the man!)

"Never doubt that a group of thoughtful, committed citizens could change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has!" -Margaret Mead

Happiness Journal (Sept. 8):

• #ServiceSaturday at St Francis Xavier Food Pantry with #BLMHSCampusMinistry2012
• meeting up with JenCoe and Jake (Freeport, NY volunteers) for the afternoon/evening/early Sunday morning
• attending Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, and stopping by to say hi to "Jack" at his shrine
• Tator Tots for dinner at one of my favorite bars! 
• Our waitress for the night/"my second cousin" Stella Galosh! 
• seeing Stephanie's awesome rap skills with "Newsies Got Swag" for never having listened to/liking rap music (Click here to watch the video)

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy!" -Benjamin Franklin (a very wise man for sho)

Happiness Journal (Sept. 9):

• having breakfast on the deck with Jen and Jackie when a woman was riding her automated wheelchair rode past on the sidewalk BLASTING music from a boombox on her lap. Jen's response: "She definitely pimped out her ride!"
• jamming to A Day to Remember and Jimmy Eat World while completing more bulletin boards in the office (we have a total of 5 this year...)
• getting my #LoughlinPride in check for the school year which OFFICIALLY STARTS TOMORROW! :)
• watching Billy Madison as I type this/get ready to sleep! 

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." - e.e. cummings

Live Jesus In Our Hearts. Forever! 

Let the craziness begin...

Today marked the first day of having students in the school for academic related activities. We began the day getting the freshman into school, and ready to go be a part of our house system. It was great watching all of them slowly walk into school, scared of where to go, where to sit, what to say, etc. I am so excited to be back in the wonderful Cordero House with my family! I can already see a sense of maturity and growth from just the summer. Don't get me wrong, I still had my trouble students but was able to ask them to do what I need only 3 times versus the old 10-12 times. Baby steps...

Spending only a half day with the student body provided for a bit of time in the office to work, but really not sure if I got anything done. :/. After painting the office this past summer and having everything packed in boxes, I am still getting used to where everything is and where to go when I need something. I also received a delivery of more miscellaneous items to store in the room, and was able to condense and hide away for the time being. When I looked back up at the clock, I realized it was 4:30, and definitely time to head out and get some rest before the rest of the hectic week.

There is a sense of excitement and renewal though with the student body present again for the school year, and I can't wait to see where it goes...

Happiness Journal (September 5):

• seeing my Cordero Family after a great summer vacation apart
• singing the Bishop Loughlin school song at our Principal's Convocation
• having pumpkin iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts again (2 days in a row...better stop it)
• Conversation with the students during family time today (trying to explain the new schedule system) - Students: "Mr. Hueg, this is mad hard to understand" Me: "Well I'm going to make it mad easy, so here we go...". As I posted on twitter --> #teacherswag! :)
• the great work all of our student leader, house representatives did today to help make the day as smooth as possible 

“Do you build on the affection that the young people have for you to lead them to God?” - Saint John Baptist de La Salle (Med 101.3)

Live Jesus In Our Hearts. Forever! 

Zig-A-Zag ZEAL!

During this year's LV Orientation, we spent a great deal of time focusing on the twelve Lasallian virtues in education and living the mission. One virtue that stuck out to me was zeal - the teacher instructs students by their good example and dedication. This morning, we celebrated our "Back to School Mass for Teachers", and as I mentioned in my "Happiness Journal" yesterday, I selected an awesome LaSalle meditation for post-communion. 

194.3 Third Point

To bring the children whom you instruct to take on the Christian spirit, you must teach them the practical truths of faith in Jesus Christ and the maxims of the holy Gospel with at least as much care as you teach the truths that are purely theoretical.

It is true that a number of doctrines are absolutely necessary for us to know in order to be saved, but what would it serve to know them if we did not take the trouble to practice the good to which we are bound?

Faith, Saint James says, without good works is dead. Saint Paul also says, If I knew all the mysteries and had full knowledge and all the faith such that I move mountains from one place to another but have not charity (that is, sanctifying grace), I am nothing.

Is your main care, then, to instruct your disciples in the maxims of the holy Gospel and the practice of the Christian virtues? Have you anything more at heart than helping them find their happiness in these practices? Do you regard the good you are trying to achieve in them as the foundation of all the good they will practice for the rest of their life? The habits of virtue that are cultivated during youth encounter less resistance in corrupt nature and form the deepest roots in the hearts of those in whom they have been formed.

If you want the instructions you give to those whom you have to instruct to be effective in drawing them to the practice of good, you must practice these truths. You must be full of zeal, so that your students may be able to receive a share in the grace that is in you for doing good and your zeal may draw down on you the Spirit of God to inspire your students in the same way. 

-Saint John Baptist de La Salle

I felt a particular joy when I read this reflection, because it reminded me of why I am doing what I do: I enjoy being a part of the education world, and touching the hearts of students. I want my students to feel that same feeling when they go out into the community doing service. Can you imagine what the world would be like if all this came full circle? Hmmm...

Happiness Journal (September 4):

• seeing all of the teachers come back to Loughlin today and sharing in the excitement of the new year
• hearing the reactions of some of the student leaders when they walked into my office and saw me there: "Mr. Hueg, you're here another year?" "Mr. Hueg, I'm so excited to see you!" etc. (what a great feeling, legit)
• pumpkin iced coffee is officially back at Dunkin Donuts (better padlock that wallet when walking to the train after work...)
• watching Robin Hood: Men In Tights with Jen tonight and recasting the whole movie based off the brothers and volunteers in the DENA district! 

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." -Mother Teresa

Live Jesus In Our Hearts. Forever! 

Where did August go?

Well here I am on the night before the new academic year begins wondering where that month of August went? It is crazy to think I am already a month into my second year as a Lasallian Volunteer!! It would be too much to state all that happened in that month, but let me just say: IT WAS GREAT! Lots more exploring, hanging with friends, a visit from family, and checking more things off the "Stuff to do before leaving New York list" <-- still have a long way to go though with this list. Maybe I will post it to keep everyone in the loop, knowing what I am trying to get to. :).

So with a new year comes a new feeling to this blog. I want to continue clueing everyone into what is happening with my life, but will also begin to try and update more regularly. My friend Carly, currently serving in Providence, RI, is doing something I absolutely love on her blog that I have decided to "borrow". A great brother, Brian Henderson, said that the real meaning of the Brothers letters "FSC" means: Find it, Steal it, Copy it. :). That is exactly what I am doing. I am going to try and post every day some things that made me happy or smile throughout the day. So often I rush through my day, getting the tasks completed without actually stopping to look at what makes this experience so beautiful. To sum up my "happiness journal", I will include a quote from poetry, songs, movies, etc. on how I am feeling about the day, and what impacted me! I really look forward to seeing the growth throughout the year, and being able to truly look back and remember this second year of being a Lasallian Volunteer!

So...let's begin:

Things that made me happy today (this past weekend):

• seeing all my wonderful DENA (District of Eastern North America) volunteers at the A-Frame for a final weekend of relaxation before the hectic school year
• jamming out to mixes on the car ride up and back, remembering all this "old school" music
• finding the perfect reflection for tomorrow's "Back to School" Teacher Mass by St. John Baptist de La Salle
• having the smell of campfire remain present in my room after unpacking my laundry from the weekend - a stepping stone into the beautiful smell of autumn! 

"Plan your hours to be productive; Plan your weeks to be educational; Plan your years to be purposeful; Plan your life to be an experience of growth; Plan to change; plan to grow." -Iyanla Vanzant