Bead for Life.... for education

Gina, one of the awesome ladies I work with on the 3rd grade team, helped me with the BFL party. A few of our co-workers showed up (one being another of the 3rd grade teachers) and we had the awesome idea to show the Bead for Life video to the 3rd graders, have them roll some beads (and make bead bracelets for their mom's for Mother's Day!), and eat some Ugandan food. With tomorrow being Earth Day, what a perfect activity to incorporate.

I'm all about showing kids the reality of the world around us (well, to an extent). I think that kids (and, well, some adults!) need to realize that the world isn't just about them... it isn't about fancy cars, the newest video games, designer purses or new toys all the time. There is so much more out there that can ground us... bring us back to reality, bring us out of our bubble of thinking how "terrible" our life is that we don't have the newest this or that. Porter watched the BFL video and he was amazed at something so simple.... the children in the video didn't have shoes. SHOES. They didn't even have shoes... I mean, how many of us have a closet full!?! How many of us can afford to go to the grocery store to buy a certain snack we might be craving? Just to have that OPTION... the selection of snacks and the small amount of money to be able to buy it. I was browsing the scrapbook stuff at Target the other day and felt so... spoiled. Here I was, contemplating spending $4 on stickers for my scrapbook when for some people in this world, that would be all they had to LIVE ON for a week.

GAH. Sorry... just, this whole BFL thing just really gets me thinking... it really makes you count your blessings, makes you grateful for everything frivilous that you have.

Back to the story.... the kids rolled beads (our joke of the week "rollin' beads..." HAHA) and had a great time doing so. They tried some sugared peanuts, banana bread and watched the video. Some of the kids were doing an amazing job with their beads... I hope their mom's are thrilled with their bracelets. Sure beats macaroni noodles, right?

I took a boatload of pictures... I work with three 3rd grade classes and I took at least one of each student... along with some other just fun pics. I am not sure it'd be right to post their faces, so I am going to be selective on the pictures I post.... hopefully their faces are blurred enough.



Each of the kids picked out an "authentic" Ugandan BFL bead for their bracelet: