The last week of Peninsula Bridge summer program is, not surprisingly, bittersweet. Everyone is in the "groove" of their routine, comfortable with one another, and excited for the upcoming activities that will cap -- if not define -- our experience here. Indeed the program is ending after what seems like only a short while. But this week gives the teachers and the TAs a huge opportunity to make yet another lasting imprint on these children's minds, hopefully making them want to return year after year.
Making sure that the overall excitement is sustained throughout the week is not too difficult, and it pushes me and the other TAs to entertain, challenge and interact with the students as much as possible. Whether it is finally giving them a "water day" in the summer heat or taking them into the kitchen to bake, any little stray from the norm will undoubtedly stay with them for months to come.
Moreover, this is the last week I have time to spend with these fantastic kids; each and every one of them have come up to me at some point or another to tell me a joke, what they ate for lunch that day, or what beach they went to over the weekend. These random yet hilarious conversations have developed into growing friendships, and I cannot begin to describe how much they have made me laugh over the past five weeks. The best thing that I have heard recently is the question, "Are you going to come back to us next summer?" Their excitement for next summer is truly contagious; all the students have been asking each other if they are coming again and from a TA's perspective, it is great to watch this conversation occur during lunch or recess.
So as we round the final stretch, I am excited to have as much fun as possible with everyone, and I know all the children are feeling the exact same way. Finishing the program the same way we started--with unbridled enthusiasm--should be a breeze.