Fine Day at Bryan High

I loved every minute of the day I spent lanyarding with the young folks in Anja Schwalen's classes at Bryan high yesterday, AND I once again came away with a generous appreciation of all those dedicated men and women who spend their days with our youth. Six hours of stringing beads should not have left me as tired as I was, but somehow riding herd on the seventy-five or so different personalities that moved in and out of the classroom, explaining the cause, helping them make bead choices that fit their personalities (and also the personalities of potential lanyard owners), and keeping everything moving forward, left me wishing that I had a in-home chef (and masseuse, while we're dreaming).

Frankly, I'm in awe of anyone who, as their career, chooses to hang with teenagers all day and who, after doing so, agrees to go back and do it again the next day!

Thanks to Anja and her colleagues and all the young Vikings who made the day such a great success!

Odd Friday Summer Kick Off Lanyard Workshop

Start your summer fun on Friday!

Stop by to bead lanyards and wish Sarah Radencic good luck in her new job in Mississippi.

When:  Friday, May 21

Time:  3:30-7:30

Where:  My House

Hurray for Lara and the NCL!

Lara W. (Han's mom and lanyard originator!) celebrated a big lanyard jackpot this morning.    Last fall her pal Marlene dreamed up a partnership between The Woodlands/Conroe area NCL (National Charity League) and the lanyard project.  Together they held a series of lanyard workshops and a big Bead-A-Thon over the course of the spring semester.  They held the final workshop this week with the Sustainers group, and we were all very pleased to have had so much interest, such good attendances, a huge number of beautiful lanyards, as well as a large quantity of donated beads with these philanthropic mother/daughter classes.

This morning, Lara learned that the news was even better than she thought.  The group wants to continue our partnership next year, plus they made an outright donation to the Children's Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundations of $1000 in honor of the lanyard project.  These fabulous women are great to work with and we look forward to next year!  The amazing thing is that this partnership has focused primarily on just one chapter of NCL (The Woodlands Chapter) and there are several in the area.

PS 122 in Queens Beads!

I'd like to introduce Anastasios, who is my guest blogger this morning.  

Anastasios and his classmates at P.S. 122 have started their on lanyard workshop, thanks to the leadership of their teacher and student council sponsor: Noelia Nunez.

Here's what Anastasios wrote:

Hello, I am an 8th grade student attending P.S.122, in Queens, New York. I write to you to express the extraordinary reaction Erin's story has played on my school community. A teacher of mine was able to learn about your daughter's incredible story and her fight against neuroblastoma cancer. She also showed us Erin's love for lanyards. The response from students was stunning. They all were captured by her will to do as much as she could, despite being diagnosed with the frightening illness she had. Many of my classmates found the need to do whatever they could to help Erin's cause and to help spread her message. Our grateful teacher showed us the art of lanyards, and it quickly caught on. Nearly everyone had their own lanyard, comprised of eye-opening color combination, in which they were working on intricate designs on. Everyone was captured by your daughter's ability to be fearless against her cancer and determined to increase funding for pediatric cancer research.

I would like to thank you and Erin for inspiring my school and I. We were able to grasp the mentality of your daughter, which motivated all of us to do our best to help.We continue to stitch lanyard to continue Erin's work that was left behind. She left this world too early, but, her heart and her soul continues to move all of us, due to her accomplishments. May you continue your efforts to spread your daughter's dream and message. She has certainly left an impact on us.

And a few photos: