Today we finish our week at Little Wound. This has been an absolute whirlwind! There is a renewed anxiety today since we were told that we would be teaching in the gym and then in the middle school. The topic today is self-esteem and healthy relationships. We got to school at 8:30 for the entire school assembly in the gym. We were introduced and thanked as part of the assembly. Besides an awkward moment of staying out on the gym floor too long after our introduction, everyone made it through this time in the spotlight.
In addition to announcing some art awards, the Special Olympics basketball team from the high school was celebrated for winning the state championship. The team and coach were welcomed out onto the gym floor with each member of the team receiving a star quilt for their accomplishment. The entire school was then invited to come up and shake each team member’s hand. After recognizing one of the guys from a health class teaching session from earlier in the week as a team member, I decided that I wanted to show my respect as well. We went out onto the floor and shook hands also—these kids were so thrilled to be recognized in this way by the entire school.
Much to the students’ relief, our teaching in the gym was changed to teaching Juniors in a classroom. They taught 3 classes in the high school and then went to wrangle about 40 7th graders in the middle school. They have been required to adapt frequently and teach more than initially planned this week but have remained focused and hard-working throughout. Unfortunately, we could not return to the extended classroom today—they were on a field trip. We did get to see some of the kids during the assembly though, and we also dropped off a box of goodies with a note at the classroom before leaving. One of the activities that was part of the teaching today was to hand out word bubbles with the statement “Love is…” and asking the junior students to complete this statement. They could talk about love for another, themselves, or anything that they wanted. I was surprised that so many of them were willing to do this, and we got some great explanations of love!
We were invited to Mrs. U. B.’s classroom for lunch also. We met a teacher from the SDSU extension that does outreach work related to 4H. She was helping Mrs. U. B. with prom dress alterations. We had the very best lunch, courtesy of Mrs. U. B., of chicken with pickled onions and corn tortillas from the burrito stand across from the school. This was the best chicken I have ever had—delicious! After saying goodbye to Mrs. U. B., we were done for the week.
We went to Singing Horse to see Allyssa and Lily after our time at the school. Lily is one now and toddling all over. She is a happy baby who loves mom and grandma—even with not feeling the best after getting her 12-month vaccinations, she was still bright eyed and smiling. So good to see them! We missed Rosie though—she was in Rapid City for the day. After more shopping and visiting, we returned to the motel for napping prior to our nighttime driving.
Thinking about both the kids at Little Wound and my future nurses, the following quote fits, and I hope that they will keep it in mind:
“You’re so hard on yourself. But remember, everybody has a chapter they don’t read out loud. Take a moment. Sit back. Marvel at your life: at the mistakes that gave you wisdom, the suffering that gave you strength. Despite everything, you still move forward. Be proud of this. Continue to endure. Continue to persevere. And remember, no matter how dark it gets, the sun will rise again.”
Nursing Students at Pine Ridge 