Today was amazing another full full circle day
We had received a call in January from one Sidekick’s student teacher at High Tech Junior High. She had invited grandmaster orange to speak at Israel’s school for black history month.
Her name was Juliette. When Juliette told us on the phone that isreal has really taken on a leadership role. She said that isreal suggested GMO as a guest speaker
We were pleasantly surprised to hear this.
In past years, we were invited to Israel’s school by his parents to help assist the teacher with Israel’s behavioral problems
So this was great news! Now we’re hearing what a good role model and leader isreal has become. That’s one of the benefits of GMOs job. He gets to see students improve their citizenship and academics over years of taekwondo training
On that level today was already a win.
But there’s more.
It turns out high tech middle school is in clairemont not the Point Loma campus we’ve visited in the past years – for everyday hero’s event.
When Juliett told me it’s on mt alifan I immediately knew the location. It’s my My junior high school Hale used to be there. Then it turned to Horizon School and now high tech middle school.
Our meeting point was at the theater which we called the auditorium. Well it sure was in the same place! The campus had been revived and expanded see video
As we walked over to meet Israel’s teacher among all the students I realized that we were standing on what used to be our lunch court! And although it was remodeled I could recognize what was previously our cafeteria— and I noticed the bungalows where I had classes and my home economics room
It was a real surprise to be there and realize that I was standing in my past.
Yes I had to take a video even though it was only 8:30 am here it is
But back to the reason why we’re here
Juliette met us and walked us back over to the theater which was indeed the same auditorium as when I attended hale
Except what an amazing fun and multi media event they had prepared. I wish when I went to school there was such awesomeness
Here’s clips of what followed
Isreal and grandmaster orange sat together and spoke about how far they’ve come and how much isreal has transformed since they met
Before the main performance they played “we are family” by sisters sledge one our main popular songs back in junior high me and my multi- culti friends would sing it and dance on the bleachers. So full full circle
Of course I took a video
Then isreal introduced GMO up on the stage and he stood behind GMO for the entire 10 minute presentation
If u know GMO 10 minutes is barely getting him warmed up he’s accustomed to speaking for 30 minutes at least! See here last week at an elementary school he went class to class talking to the kids for 3 hours straight through not running out of things to say!
And when he did run out of things to talk about he talked about his wife and about the school principal.
The most magical thing was when he just completed his talk and answered the one student question about what happened to his arm. He told about his accident and said, “I still have work to do.” And just at that moment it started hailing on the stage behind him.
Here’s the video. https://youtu.be/qlf8yT9PU5Q
Talk about an affirmation from the universe!
And after that there was a awesome video presentation from a spoken word artist in Baltimore
Followed up by the world beat center live African drumming and dance performance.
Everything was a huge success and we made it home safely with the high winds advisory.
