February 2024 - Building something bigger

Fifty years from now, Lord willing, I will be 85 years old. Regardless of where I am, I hope to look back at my time at 2nd Mile and see that Brentwood is left in good hands, is thriving and emanating the gospel so vigorously. I can see the organization being led by current students, their kids, maybe even their grandkids, and they will eventually forget the name Mr. Andrew, but will continue to speak of the love of Christ, to show love and kindness to those that live here, to maybe even playing the same games taught for years outside in the courtyard.

Snap back to reality, February 2024, the students in Block re-entered the building for a second time this school year, this time with no wooden pallets to contest for space, an even more blank slate to envision a future. Students wrote down their ideas for how to best utilize the space for future programming and for what would best serve the community. We returned to the current 2nd Mile location, and began to draw up plans like little architects. Some fun ideas they came up with were a meditation room to calm down, a computer lab, and a movie theater with a popcorn machine and vending machine. Groups then combined ideas and, using a shoebox, made dioramas of how the building could look. This was one of my favorite activities of the year. I can't wait to carry them along on the journey to a completed building. Quick update, we currently getting professional drawings made up to work out what is actually possible in the space, answering code related questions, renovation cost questions, etc.

At two:fiftytwo, February was our music month. In teaching the students about rhythm, pitch, and dynamics, I learned that the most engaging lessons were not the ones where I share my knowledge of music, the math behind notes, or even the emotions I get when I play, but rather letting the students make the sounds, create the rhythms, and touch and feel the instruments themselves. They got to try a keyboard, my viola (with extreme supervision), boom whackers, a kalimba (thumb piano), a cajon, and a guitar. It's fun to see which kids really get into which instruments. Are there any future musicians in our program? Who knows?

As students are currently on spring break as I write this, please pray that the students stay safe, that they are eager to come back and gather together, and that parents are given the strength, patience, and energy for a week that is more like a trial run for the upcoming summer.

Next month, I'll hopefully have some great updates about our summer camp. Spoiler alert, we've already hired two people for the summer and plans are already under way. Super excited!

Future architects?

Future contractors?