The long story of #LiftUp101

The long story behind "LiftUp101"
It is a story about community, family, friends, students, administration/staff, #IMMOOC (The Innovator's Mindset), #KidsDeserveIt, and a million other huge, important, life-changing things.

Have you ever had a feeling that you were being led, pushed - to do something big?  Something way bigger than yourself?  This is how it began for me.  I am not writing this for the credit.  I honestly don't want it.  It wasn't for me, about me or even a result of me.  I just had to be the one willing to carry the message and feel brave enough to speak up (and to continue to speak up).  I'm telling this story about this journey so that others (MOSTLY MY DEAR, SWEET, POWERFUL STUDENTS) feel like they have the ability to make a difference in this world - for the better.

Here goes...Here is what happened to District 101.  Within a matter of weeks, our District lost 3 special people.  This is not the place for me to discuss the details...What you need to know is that our district and the community needed help, needed love and needed kindness to lift each other up.  My own children asked "Mom, what can I do...I'm just a kid?" I wondered "What can I do...I'm just one person?"  Then it happened.  An idea fell out of the sky, onto my lap and into my heart...when I was driving to my son's little league game no less!  And...without getting too deep here in a blog, I'll just tell you that it was like when a football player makes a touchdown or (I'm a Cubs fan, so better yet, hits a home run) and then points to the sky.  That...

Then I went out on a dangerous limb.  I sent an emotional email to several administrative staff. On a Sunday.  At 9:00 P.M.  Now, I need to pause in my story to tell you something important about myself.  I am usually a quiet person.  I don't talk at faculty meetings.  I have a fear of public speaking.  This was NOT something that Mary Jensen would do.  I do not email the central office people.  On Sundays.  At 9:00 P.M.  Ever...until now. 

My email went something like this. 

Recent tragedies have fallen on our district.  Children and community members wonder "what can I do?" "how can I help?" "what power do I have?"  Well, one thing is true.  As humans we have the power to lift up other humans.  We can help make them feel loved, appreciated and special.  It doesn't matter how old you are, anyone can make a difference.  We need to constantly tell one another how much they mean to us.  Another reason why? BECAUSE WE CAN!  

What can we do? #LiftUp101 Kindness Challenge101 challenges to LIFT UP others in our District 101 and community.  A way to make others feel good.  Spread the love.  

Within about 1 minute, I received an email back from the superintendent that she was inspired by this idea and wanted to talk.  To me.  This was happening.  Then I teared up (and I am NOT a crier)

I needed help.  When you need help, who do you call? (Don't say Ghostbusters, people)  Friends...lots of friends.  I emailed the staff at my school...told them about this idea and said that I would be working on the project the next day at 8:20 AM and that my door would be open.  That's it.  I was so touched when the room filled up at 8:20 with people ready and willing to help.  The ideas in that meeting are what propelled this idea into action.  They were brilliant.  We brainstormed and got tons of thoughts down.  Next I asked my students for help...asked them about their ideas about acts of kindness/friendship.  I sat with the art teacher, where we scoured the internet and our brains and the student list.  We came up with the first 50.  Ummmm.  We needed 101!!  So, again, I asked for help.  I shared (on a google doc) the list of 50 with the AGS and ECC staff.  I went to bed.  When I woke up, the list was over 120!  Unbelievable.

The next few days are blurry.  Several grids (for people to keep track of their challenges) were made by wonderful friends.  The list was trimmed.  The social worker reviewed the plan.  It was shared with the Communication Diva at central office.  Within days, emails went out, social media postings were made, the local newspaper called and most importantly, kindness, positivity and love began to surge through our district.

I just put the "Wagon" out there...or since I'm a music teacher, let's call it ...The "Band"Wagon .  You know, it was just an idea.  Filled with emotion and hope.  It was messy.  My pals jumped on, cleaned it up and started pushing (and helped me steer).  

But again, why do I feel like I should tell my, I mean, OUR story?  Because ...maybe more can be taken away from this moment in time.  What if this story could help my students find hope, strength and possibilities in their passions and ideas?  

Are there other factors that are needed to empower our children to make a difference?  How about Emotion, Support and Confidence?  Children can use their emotion and passion for change to come up with big ideas and they need to have our support and their peers'.  With this, I think they can accomplish anything.  They also need to feel like they have the responsibility to share their ideas.  It isn't just a suggestion.  It is a responsibility.  I learned this fact this year as I participated in an online class (#IMMOOC) for the book "The Innovator's Mindset" and a staff book study for "Kids Deserve It."  My principal (and former principals) taught me that I had an obligation to share... This can happen through Twitter, Blogging, and just having face-to-face conversations.  I know these were factors that influenced me to share the #LiftUp101 Kindness Challenge project and not just hold onto it quietly.  

We want kids (and people) to know that they can make a difference.

They can make a positive impact on others' lives

Be kind to one another... and as a result you are being kind to yourselves.

Before I end this rambling blog post, I have to mention 1 more thing.
I was watching our beloved Chicago Cubs on Saturday as they were about to win the Pennant. (Woohoo!) A commercial came on the television.  You HAVE to do a Youtube search right now, okay "iPhone Balloon Commercial"....I almost fell off the couch...it is perfect!  It can all start with just one person (or balloon in this case)... our students can be that 1 person (the 1st red balloon)..Challenges can bring us down (notice how the balloon bumps the branch and comes close to the water), yet we can bounce back and overcome.  We need each other and we can work together to lift each other up.  

#LiftUp101

Here is a link to the challenge if you want to make a difference in your community.

P.S.  If this post is filled with typos, bad grammar, and terrible punctuation it is because we are watching another big Cubbie game ;)