More About 363 Days
About Minneapolis Recreation Development: “Love One Another”http://www.363days.org/index.html
Minneapolis Recreation Development is dedicated to serving the homeless community, vulnerable individuals, disadvantaged youth, and their families in the Twin Cities through our Three Programs. Enabled by the generous support of our donor community, from 9pm to10am every night Founder Allan Law drives throughout the Twin Cities serving people in urgent need in homeless shelters, and on the street. Making as many as 50 stops a night, he distributes donated sandwiches, basic necessities, and encouragement to the homeless from the back of the MRD minivan. He volunteers overnight because that’s when shelters are closed, and homeless people living on the street are most vulnerable. He also responds to several calls a day 24/7 from people in crisis, with requests ranging from critical immediate needs, to others like help finding a job or temporary housing. 

On any given night there are an estimated 7,000 homeless people in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area, and 2,200 of them are children under 17. The goal of MRD is to feed, and provide emergency assistance to as many of them every day as possible. In 2012 MRD will serve over 100,000 people in urgent need, which is made possible by the incredible outpouring of both the time and resources of our donor community, and a handful of dedicated volunteers.

Students at Susan Lindgren Elementary were ready to show their ORANGE and their pride in Standing Up for Kindness.  

5th Graders at Peter Hobart, Aquila and Park Spanish Immersion  attended Youth Frontiers' Kindness Retreats during the month of December.
(Susan Lindgren 5th Graders will attend in February)

Since 1987 Youth Frontiers, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis, has been delivering programs to build positive school communities that help young people realize the importance of respecting themselves and others. Their vision is to change the way young people treat each other in every hallway, lunch line and classroom of every school in America so that today’s young people make tomorrow’s world better. Last year, Youth Frontiers worked with nearly 100,000 students and educators throughout the country.

On the Kindness Retreat, the Youth Frontiers retreat staff focus on creating a more positive school community by engaging students in a variety of activities that build students’ empathy skills and teach safe ways to help prevent bullying.

For more information on Youth Frontiers and/or the Kindness Retreat click the button below.

"I am only one; but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.  I will not refuse to do the something I can do."  - Helen Keller

Counselors are wrapping up their classroom lessons on the topic, Being an Upstander, this month.  Students and teachers have been participating in many conversations on what it means to be an Upstander and ways that we can practice being one.  

Here are a few ideas:

1.  Choose not to join in when people are picking on or laughing at someone.
2.  Speak out against unkind words or actions.
3.  Say something helpful to the person who's being picked on or laughed at.
4.  Ask people who are teasing how it would feel if they were the ones being teased.
5.  Ask the person who's being left out or picked on to join you in an activity.
6.  Let an adult know what's going on.

What other ideas can you come up with as a family?

Listening Is A Skill!

Howard B. Wigglebottom:  Learns to Listen by Howard Binkow
Kindergartners are working with counselors this month on Listening.  Listening is a skill that needs to be taught, practiced and learned rather than a behavior that we do or don't.  Howard B. Wigglebottom is a silly bunny that Kindergartners relate well too.  In this story, Howard finds that his day goes much better if he slows down and really listens to what his friends, teachers and parents are telling him.  

Kindergartners learn that they listen with their whole body and they spend time practicing what this looks like and sounds like.   For more information on Listening and/or Howard B. Wigglebottom (a bunny who goes on many adventures) check out the website:  http://wedolisten.org/

Give Them A Chance

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
How often do we judge something before we know anything about it?  We do this with books ("don't judge a book by it's cover"), food, hobbies/sparks and even with people.  

First Graders will be working with counselors this month on giving people a chance.  Enemy Pie (a student favorite) is a story all about having an enemy, the new boy who moved into the neighborhood.  This enemy turns out to have the same interests, hobbies, and is even good at things the main character wishes he was good at.  The best line in the story, "he wasn't being a very good enemy".  WIth the help of Dad, an enemy is lost and a new friend is gained.  

First Graders will get an opportunity to think about what qualities they think make a good friend, remembering to give someone a chance!

Teasing or Kidding?

Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig
Second Graders are learning that our words are powerful and that words can hurt others.  There are times that our intention is be playful and "kidding" but really we are teasing someone else.  Counselors will be sharing the book Just Kidding with second graders to help with the conversation.  Students will also work on being an Upstander:  What should I do if I did tease someone instead of kidding OR what if I know that someone else is teasing instead of kidding.

Friendships = Give and Take

Yoon and the Jade Bracelet by Helen Recorvits
Third Graders are continuing to look at Upstander Behaviors as they discuss Friendship.  Counselors are sharing the story Yoon and the Jade Bracelet (a student favorite) with third graders.  In the story, Yoon really wants to jump rope and make some new friends.  Yoon finds an older girl who is willing to play with her BUT only if she gives the girl her bracelet to wear and if she twirls the rope so the older girl can jump.  Third graders relate well to this story, sharing about a friendship they have experienced that is one-sided.  

Counselors are teaching students that friendships should be equal and that there should be give and take.  Taking turns, finding activities that both people like to do are all important when building a friendship with someone.  

Trouble Talk

Trouble Talk by Trudy Ludwig
Fourth and Fifth graders are continuing to talk about being an Upstander and Upstander Behaviors.  Counselors are working with students this month on recognizing that words can hurt others.  Students will learn about Trouble Talk:  any kind of talk that leads to nothing but trouble.  Examples of trouble talk are:  teasing, gossiping, spreading rumors, lying, giving hurtful and/or unwanted advise to someone.  Students will talk about how they can help stop Trouble Talk in their classrooms and amongst their friends.  

All four elementary buildings took part in our Stand for Kindness Day on October 10th.  Students and staff were encouraged to wear orange that day to show their Pride and willingness to be an Upstander.