(05/25/10) Hayward Primary (second visit), Hayward, WI

5/25/2010 Second Outreach Visit to Hayward Primary in Hayward, WI

Everything was ready for our presentation. Chairs were already laid out in the community room in a horseshoe. A fan was on to draw out the hot air. Teachers were warm and welcoming. Students were excited. Another birthday guy had his birthday hat on and assured me Magic was getting one too. Kids were working on math sheets copied from the WindChill Legacy teacher activity notebooks.

During the presentation kids from last week stopped in to say hi. Some bore very creative thank you notes and letters. Teachers from last week also stopped by to say thank you and deliver activity books and feedback surveys.

Here are some of what last week’s students wrote in their thank you notes:

· I did have good luck because I touched Magic’s star.

· I really had bad luck because I fell in the mud.

· Even though I touched Magic’s star I look weird in the photo.

· Thank you for teaching us about horses.

· I had very much fun.

· I liked when Magic sneezed.

· I like Magic’s coat. It was soft.

· I liked when Magic said hi!

· I liked when Magic whacked her tail.

· I learned that horses need lots of water.

· I learned that horses were important.

· I enjoyed Magic and learning about WindChill.

· My favorite part was learning about WindChill.

· WindChill and Magic are very pretty and they have very a beautiful star.

· Thank you for teaching us how to be kind to animals.

· Thank you for teaching us all about taking care of animal.

· It is sad that she did that to WindChill.

From last week’s teachers we got these remarks:

· Positive and child friendly

· Having the horse here helped the kids enjoy and remember the presentation

· Program and notebooks were great

· Loaded with information

· Very effective message-we just studied needs vs wants-very relevant

One teacher from last week stopped in to tell us how special we made last Monday for the birthday boy in her class. It was his last day of school. She stated, “What a great memory for him to take with him.”

Many of the students who forgot their slips last week, sat in this week. They did not mind sitting through the WindChill presentation again. When Magic came in one of these, a girl who was one of the loudest pleaders last week just hugged Magic and gave her a giant kiss on the neck.

During the day we heard wisps of teacher conversations about what instincts Magic has. Word spread fast about how Magic reacted to several special needs students last week and this week’s first presentation. Kathi was stopped in the hall and told numerous times how amazing Magic was. Magic did what the team always notices…she reacts to specials needs students in a way that just fits them.

There was one boy in particular this week, whose story we heard later. The teacher had informed the parents that their son had started exhibiting major behavior changes in the last 3 months and needed help. This boy sat in the front row, middle chair. He waved his arms and held a conversation with himself while I went around introducing myself to each child and during the first two slides of the WindChill presentation. To bring his attention back on me, I asked him a question and he answered. Carole gave him a sticker. He beamed and stayed quiet the whole time and was able to concentrate on the presentation. However when Magic came in and it was his turn to pet her, he started holding a conversation with himself. At that moment Magic started moving her lips like she was talking. I said to him, “Look Magic is talking to you.” He looked and smiled and concentrated on her. Then Magic nosed right up to him. The boy loved it. The teacher gasped and tears came to her eyes. Magic got in really close to that boy and he hugged her. She crooked her leg, totally relaxed, and just stayed there until she felt that it was ok to go on. Magic opened her heart to this boy. We all saw the connection being made. It just gave us goose bumps at how Magic knew just how to make it so special for this child that needed her. Afterwards the teacher of this boy personally went up to Kathi and told her just how big a deal this was.

Magic was funny too. Every time she came by the fan, she sniffed all the smells blowing her way. As Magic’s tail blew in the breeze of the fan one boy said, “Magic’s tail acts like a carwash!”

One girl asked, “What kind of music does Magic like to listen too?” I told her at night the lights go out but the radio is on all night in the barn and it is on country western.

Two boys were very interested in what was under Magic’s tail and her belly. As she walked away they bent over trying to see under her. They got a bit gross. I told the boys that Magic was a lady and they needed to show her respect.

Kathi found it so funny when a boy asked me if that was Magic’s diary I was writing in…… I always bring a notebook to write down gems for these write-ups. Kathi thought about it and said it is really is Magic’s diary. I am writing about her.

However it is just not me that helps in writing these reports, it is a team effort. After every outreach the team meets and we talk about the special moments. We talk about what went well and what needs changing (Ex. Trish came up with the idea of putting all our giveaways in a baggie for the teacher of the very young students to give them after we leave. That way things do not get lost and Magic does not get poked with pencils.) It is not just me that should get credit for these, it is the team.

Again the students came up with a great idea which Kathi loved. When Magic showed her teeth, one girl said, “Why not get one of those rotating tooth brushes from Wal-Mart for her.” Kathi said what a great idea and gave C&P the TWINKLE IN HER EYE look as she said, “Now I have new stuff for volunteers to do at Raindance.”

These teachers had prepared their students this week. Kids knew that we had pulled WindChill from the pasture on a sled. One boy had been talking to last week’s students. He answered my question with a bungee cord to help WindChill stand up. (It was a sling.) Again word of mouth sure spreads.

Sara, the person who made first contact with me and worked so hard to bring us to Hayward Primary was at the school today. She was doing a dog presentation with the kindergartners. She stopped in several times during her breaks to see what we were doing. She was just ecstatic about the comments she had been hearing all morning. She said, “All that I have heard is that this is so good.” She said she also heard comments like how well we involve the students in our presentations. She stated “well involved students- that is when the learning occurs.”

Sara got tears in her eyes as one boy answered in reply to a question I asked. “WindChill died with pride.” She said as she watched and heard the students’ questions and heard their answers to my questions that she knew the kids got why we rescued WindChill in the first place and tried our best to help him live.

She left for another presentation but left us with this remark, “I am very happy with your program and I can see why you got such raves from the teachers and the students.”She also told Kathi that she had lost my number and was so happy that I called her again in February.

When I go around the room introducing myself and learning names I always try to make a connection with each child. One girl wore a beautiful silver horse necklace and another wore the cutest cowboy boots.

A lot of the kids had chickens for pets which perked up Kathi’s ears. Kathi had just cleaned out Alice and her Boyfriend’s pen. Most agreed that cleaning up a chicken coop is the smelliest and dirtiest job ever. One girl named her chickens Softy and Bunko.

These kids did not mind Magic smelling like a horse. One boy said he loved the smell.

Two boys and I had something in common, snakes and salamanders. We talked a lot about them and what we fed them. One boy had rescued a snake with a broken rib. I had rescued a snake also found hidden in a stack of clothes at Goodwill. Another boy said he had salamanders as pets. I asked if he had the tiger ones, green with black stripes or the black with blue spots. He had the black with blue spots. You always have to keep your hand wet…a dry hand feels like sand paper to them.

One boy said he saved his money to buy a rescue dog from the vet. Another boy said most of his animals are rescues too.

One teacher would not touch Magic or even get close to her.

Kathi was beaming as thank you notes and letters from last week’s teachers and kids kept coming.

Kids were very envious of the birthday boy who got to walk Magic. He was strutting and showing bravado.

It was sad again to hear stories of pets that died. One boy said the vet killed his cat. I asked why and he said she was really old. I said that happened to me too. My cat was very old and not feeling well so I had the vet put it to sleep. I got to talk to him later too. We had a long discussion. I did not want him to be so angry with the vet. Kathi was sensitive to his use of the word kill too. I also had to sit by another boy who said he brought home a kitty but his dad only let him have it 1 night. The kitty was brought to the pound the next day. He was so sad. His whole face just changed before my eyes. I said, “I can tell you really fell in love with that kitty just in 1 night.” “Yeah” he said, “and I haven’t been able to have any pets since.” My heart just ached.

A girl who lost a cat also needed some comforting too. This was really hard for her and I told her how hard it is for me to talk about WindChill because I loved him so much. 2 others called me over and I just sat down while they told me some sad stories.

I am so glad Kathi gives me the time to talk to these kids. I do not want them to share such emotions and leave them hanging. These are very important emotions and the kids need to talk them out. The pain is deep. I am grateful that the team gives me the time.

A student asked me if we would go to the middle school. I said sure we would. He said,” Good. My brother would love this.” I gave him a card and told him to tell his brother to have his teacher contact me.

Well as we were leaving, one of the teachers in the hall said she loved the look of ‘PURE BLISS’ on her students’ faces when Magic came into the room. The lead teacher mentioned having us back next year. The 2nd grade teachers want to make it an annual event for all 2^nd graders at Hayward Primary.