Yesterday, I was teaching my rotations about New York City with a game where they learned about sites like the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty. When we were going over the Empire State Building, I mentioned that it is currently the tallest [completed] building in the United States, but that the World Trade Center was taller before it went down.

One of the kinders during the kindergarten rotation raised her hand and told the class about how one day her mom told her that a long time ago bad people crashed a plane into the World Trade Center and that a lot of people died. Not only did I realize that I was kind of old that to these kids, that was “a long time ago”, but practically all the kids in the elementary school weren’t even born when it happened. Maybe some of the fifth graders, but even then, they were probably only a few months out of the uterus.

This just got me thinking, I guess.

I’m re-inspired.

Today, we had an all-staff meeting for STAR. I actually didn’t know that meant that all the staff of the different STAR schools in the LA area would be meeting under one auditorium until the day before. Katya Bozzi, the co-founder of the program, was the main speaker as she gave everyone a history of how STAR came to be as this was the non-profit’s 25th anniversary of being in existence.

First, I need to state that at 61, she is one incredible ball of energy. You could see the passion she has for what she does and what we do. Whenever someone praised her, she often always directed it back to the staff. When she spoke about how much she wanted to see change and how much time, energy, and money she and her husband spent to start this program up, you felt it. She told us that along with being passionate, you had to be a little crazy. Talk in superlatives. Imagine everything in grandeur.

She asked us, “Would who you were as a child like who you are now?” It was a simple question but it left an impact on me. Even though I am not exactly how I envisioned when I was younger, would I be happy with how I ended up? I think we all need to be reminded of that question once in a while.

I realize that, though now I am pretty sure that I don’t want to be a full-time teacher, I still want to be an educator with the same passion that Katya has. I remind myself of what one of my goals in life is and that is to be able to share a love of learning about the world with others and it makes me happy. And love is so important. Love for people, love for what you do.

During the fundraising portion of the meeting, the person in charge of that department made a presentation in which she stressed that fundraising is not asking people for money. It is sharing your love for what you do with others and showing your passion so that others will feel it and become passionate to. That is where the money will come from. People give to people, not organizations. 

Many staff have stayed with the non-profit, climbing the ranks for five, ten, and even twenty years but they all speak about the love they have for the community they’ve created working together. So yes, STAR is in its 25th year now and I am glad that I am a part of it. 

For more information about STAR, you can check out the website by clicking here.