LIVE UNITED Y’All!

By: Angie Ditsler

Last week I had the most amazing volunteer experience.  One of my most favorite Success By 6 volunteers asked me to return the favor and volunteer for a project she was working on in Shelby County.  When I first agreed to be a guest judge for the Shelby County Teacher of the Year Award I assumed that meant I’d be reading over nomination forms and scoring them.  But how well can you really judge someone’s teaching ability and impact on his or her students from reading an application?  My question was answered as soon as I received my judging packet in the mail, and saw that I’d be spending the day observing teachers in action and interviewing them individually about their jobs.  I couldn’t wait!

When I arrived at the Central Office that morning I met the other guest judges, a reporter for the Sentinel News and a school administrator in the Henry County school system.  Together, we read over the bios of the teachers we would be meeting later and then headed off to our first school.

I was absolutely blown away by what I observed that morning at Heritage and Simpsonville Elementary Schools.  It has been years since I stepped foot in fifth grade and kindergarten classrooms.  In some ways, my mind was immediately taken back to my days spent sitting in a beanbag chair in the “reader’s corner” in Mrs. Waggener’s classroom devouring novels as she played soft music in the background.  In other ways, I couldn’t help but think, “Where in the world am I?!”  There were no chalkboards in sight- instead the teachers wrote with their pointers on “smart boards” and erased the board with the click of a button.  I also noticed that neither classroom had a teacher’s desk.  My fellow judge explained to me that these schools practice what is known as “child-centered classrooms,” meaning the teachers are immersed in working alongside their students rather than lecturing from the front of a room.  I couldn’t help but feel “behind the times” as I looked around the rooms and watched these teachers work their magic on the students. 

When it was time for the interview portion of the day, I found myself straying from the scripted questions and asking the teachers about every detail of their days.  I was just so fascinated by everything I heard!  But what I marveled at the most were the teachers’ responses when I asked them why they continue to do this job after 10, 20, and even 30 years.  All responded, “It’s the kids.”  It was apparent to me that these were people living their passion.  I definitely gained more from this volunteer experience than I gave.  I walked away feeling inspired, motivated, and even more energized to pursue my passions, too.

Education, Giving, Volunteering early childhood, living your passion, Shelby County, Success By 6

Last fall I met a local Shelby Co. resident who is passionate about his community.  Another volunteer connected the two of us and told me that I just absolutely had to meet Lee because he’s bubbling over with enthusiasm and a desire to make his community the best place to live in America.  After several get-togethers over lunch, Lee shared with me his wish to create a video about his community that inspires every single person who watches it to get up and do something for somebody.  My mind starting going about a mile a minute as ideas starting spilling out of me.  Ultimately, Lee and his videographer friend Steve offered to sponsor a video about how Shelby County lives UNITED. 

Our little team has been working hard the last several months interviewing local Shelbyvillians, visiting Metro United Way agencies, and taking in the sights and sounds of Shelby County for one single purpose: not necessarily to highlight the needs that exist; but rather to show the world just how amazing this small rural community really is and how much its residents really do care.

I feel really privileged to have had the opportunity to introduce Lee and his friends to people like Jose, a client at the Shelby Center for Disabilities who likes to sing “La Bamba” over and over as he works assembling parts for Deans Milk at the Center’s job training workshop; and Yolanda, who together with her father prepared dozens of tax forms for local residents at the Shelbyville VITA site this year.  I also feel lucky to have been able to have introduced these folks to Lee, so they know that there are people in this community who want to hear their stories and appreciate who they are and what they do to give back to their community.

Today was the “finale” of our video production days.  At 9:30 a crowd of local Shelby County residents including the Mayor, business persons, community volunteers, children, and recipients of Metro United Way services gathered in front of the fountain in downtown Shelbyville to proudly wear our LIVE UNITED t-shirts and show this community just how much can be accomplished when people stand together.  It was a great turnout, a great day, and a reminder that videos are great, but the process of creating one, sharing stories, and coming together for just one day is even more powerful.

General Shelby County