My EV Years

by Carrie Gilmore

 EV main page / EV Tutoring / Brian Thompson's home page / counselor's photo album 1998 / Miss Massachusetts USA speaks of her experience with Earthen Vessels / Job Description / contact: brian.thompson@umb.edu or mcthmpsn@yahoo.com

This text appeared in the Spring 2001 issue of Earthen Vessels News.

This summer, after three wonderful years at Earthen Vessels, I will end my time as the Educational Coordinator. I have long planned on teaching, and I feel a strong pull to return to the classroom. I am excited about the year ahead, but it will be hard to let go of the community of kids, families, tutors, and others who have made EV such a good home for the past three years.

From the first days of my first summer at camp, I knew that EV would be a comfortable fit for me. Sitting around the living room singing camp songs, racing around the soccer field in a game of capture the flag, looking out at the mountains for a time of silence every morning, climbing rocky trails to reach the mountain peaks, and even building up strength with morning push-ups, I felt at home. I could see that camp embodied the values I hold most dear: simple living, healthy bodies and minds, the thrill of challenge, community with others. Having known Julie for a few years, I wondered how I could possibly begin to fill her shoes. But I found a place for myself that first summer and began to suspect that I would find myself a place in the tutoring program as well.

Camp rolled over smoothly into the school year, and I recognized a fact that I have treasured since: kids who aren't great in school often reveal their best side on a mountain, with a tutor, or performing on stage. I had learned some things about the kids who'd been at camp that many of their teachers had never seen. In my early visits, I was thrilled to share bits and pieces of a kid's strengths in order to give a teacher a new perspective, one with a little more hope. At school, a ninth-grade boy did nothing but fool around and avoid serious work, but I knew him to be easy-going and capable of thoughtful conversation and sensitivity toward others. An eighth-grade girl who seemingly caused trouble wherever she went also had a caring, soft side not always evident from the rough exterior. Throughout my EV experience, I've felt lucky to see the strengths that are sometimes a kid's best kept secrets.

In the core group of kids that I've gotten to know really well, I've seen a rich supply of strengths and talents, and I have felt privileged to have an insider's view. In fact, a challenge facing the program this year has turned out to be a source of great joy in my day. We've had trouble finding a permanent van driver to replace George, so we've done most of the driving on our own. Turns out that the car ride on the way to tutoring, and the cooperative set-up of tables when we arrive, has become my favorite part of the day! When the kids get in my car, they bring news of the day to share, and we bump along listening to music and talking and laughing. At the center, I have been witness to a willing, helpful, and playful spirit of cooperation. Wouldn't their teachers and parents be amazed to watch them work! I found the same pleasure in our preparations for the Community Event. I loved gathering the kids in my car and making our way to the church for practice each Saturday. With each moment, I've seen more and more qualities and quirks of some wonderful personalities.

When I move on next year, there are lots of things I'll miss. I've hardly mentioned my partnership with Marie-Claude, but that has been my greatest source of satisfaction and growth. I've spent three years soaking up her vision and wisdom, and it will be a part of me as I go back to the classroom. The tutors have also been a steady source of encouragement and inspiration. But the day to day moments I'll probably miss the most are the most mundane: car rides, weekly check-ins by phone, surprise visits from kids at the office, sharing conversations with the web of families, teachers, tutees, tutors and others who move in and out of my day. EV is a place that draws good people, or maybe it draws out the good in people. Either way, it's been a pleasure and a privilege.