Dear All, Dr. Artzt and I really appreciate receiving your journals and meeting with you for chat times. If you or your loved ones were ill, we hope recovery is in sight. We hope those of you who are well, stay well and practice safe social distancing. The post below was shared with me because it is written by a teacher. May you find it as inspiring as I do! Stay safe! Mrs. Weinman Naomi Weinman TIME2000/SEYS Queens College, CUNY | 65-30 Kissena Blvd | Queens, NY |11367 (w) 718-997-5377 | (f) 718-997-5173 time2000.qc.cuny.edu<https://www.qc.cuny.edu/Academics/Honors/Time2000/Pages/default.aspx> | Donate to TIME 2000<http://bit.ly/time2000> "This is a tough time for students. Stay strong and in a world with a lot of what ifs let's think about these ones a bit... With the rest of the school year going to online learning and in some places, canceled altogether-students will miss 2 to 2.5 months of traditional classroom time. Many people are concerned about students falling behind because of this. Yes, they may fall behind when it comes to classroom education... But what if... What if instead of falling "behind", this group of kids are ADVANCED because of this? Hear me out. What if they have more empathy, they enjoy family connection, they can be more creative and entertain themselves, they love to read, they love to express themselves in writing. What if they enjoy the simple things, like their own backyard and sitting near a window in the quiet. What if they notice the birds and the dates the different flowers emerge, and the calming renewal of a gentle rain shower? What if this generation are the ones to learn to cook, organize their space, do their laundry, and keep a well run home? What if they learn to stretch a dollar and to live with less? What if they learn to plan shopping trips and meals at home. What if they learn the value of eating together as a family and finding the good to share in the small delights of the everyday? What if they are the ones to place great value on our teachers and educational professionals, librarians, public servants and the previously invisible essential support workers like truck drivers, grocers, cashiers, custodians, logistics, and health care workers and their supporting staff, just to name a few of the millions taking care of us right now while we are sheltered in place? What if among these children, a great leader emerges who had the benefit of a slower pace and a simpler life to truly learn what really matters in this life? What if they are AHEAD?