Chocolate Drops, a joyful risk, and the extended family of Senior Challenge

In next Wednesday's assembly, we'll be treated to the Carolina Chocolate Drops as part of the Durham Blues Festival's "Blues in Schools" program. The assembly, like last year's Clayton Miller Blues Band, grew out of our budding relationship with the Hayti Heritage Center.

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Want to see a new DA teacher taking a joyful risk? Check out this video of new 2nd grade teacher Anna Karol. Be patient and you'll be rewarded. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfy0fIiianA

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The following email is from Laura Sikes, mother of 12th grader Yates, whose grandfather died on Saturday morning, just as Senior Challenge was beginning. Laura called Greg Murray to ask if it might be possible for Yates to leave his group, attend the funeral in Tennessee, and rejoin the group to finish Senior Challenge. With a flurry of phone calls, a series of shuttles, and two well-orchestrated meetings in the wilderness, the Senior Challenge support crew helped Yates do just that.

Dear Upper School faculty:

I cannot adequately express my gratitude to Greg, Verle, Mr. Parry and the folks at BackCountry. They all worked to make a most difficult time as stress-free and normal as possible. I felt as if I was asking for the impossible and they all made it look as if it was no big deal. At one point Greg tried to explain that he and Verle both felt immediately that it all had to happen. I responded that once again DA was "Family".

Yates has looked forward to Senior Challenge since he was a freshman. He would have been extremely disappointed if he had missed it. I will never forget the look on his face when I woke him and told him about Pop-Pop. I will also never forget the look on his face when it clicked that he would likely miss Senior Challenge. So, instead of a life-long disappointment, Greg, Verle, Mr. Parry and the folks at BackCountry have created a life-long memory of how much people care about him. I think that he was somewhat humbled by the experience and I know that he appreciates the effort and will certainly never forget it.

So, please know that from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate all of the efforts of those involved. Please tell them that they are simply THE BEST and that once again, DA has given me reason to know that Yates is truly in THE BEST school imaginable!

Laura Sikes