Familiar Faces

This entry is for the Hall-of-Famers, the Rock Stars and Runners, the Dream Team alumni who came, saw, conquered and fell in love. To all of my much-loved friends and compatriots, this one is for you. They say you never forget your first class, and I'm sure you haven't forgotten these familiar faces. They're growing up but in many ways they are still the kids you remember.

For Mr. Graves
Happy birthday old friend. With each year your class grows larger and the reach of your influence extends still further. Keep shining your light.

The "O.G.'s"--the Original Graves students.

The Graves class today with new additons.

Boys 2 Men: "T" is no longer at our school, unfortunately, but he still comes around every now and then to say hi and get some SDA love. This photo was taken on Thursday, October 16 during a volleyball game vs. SIS. (The high school team made up almost entirely of your kids went on to win their game. I wish I had pictures of the game but I went home to pick up Elijah from Babs between games and when we came back, I realized I'd left my camera at home).

"J" She's still a star. She was elected Student Association President just a little more than a week ago. All of your other seventh graders are also SA officers and together they planned this week's School Spirit Week.

"Y" and "Micronesian Queen"

"J" and "Y" ready for business. This was on "Opposite Career" day. "J" does not want to be a lawyer and "Y" does not want to be a gym teacher.

"M" clowning as usual. He does not want to be a referee.

"J" takes charge during Olympic Game Day

Grades 9-10 "stand up and fight anyhow" during Joint Worship. (Note the snappy new lockers in the background).

For Ms. Odiyar

The Odiyar Originals: Your original 3/4 class from the first year.

Your original girls.


Your Original Boys

This guy goes by the name "Optimus Prime." He joined the volleyball team this year (though usually he's running around in the bleachers playing "battle"instead of playing on the court) and that's the name on his jersey.

You might remember the girl on the far left. She used to come to pick up the Tanakas some times and now she and her brother are students at our school. These three are thick as thieves this year.

Last years third graders now in fourth.

This year's 3/4 Class.


When I was in the 3/4 classroom taking photos this young man said, "Ms. Odiyar knows me too! Can you take my picture?" And so I did.

I guess this is what you'd call the two extremes of your class.

Your newest student from last year, still as sweet as ever.

I thought she did a fantastic job with her Face Decorating here.

All flowers and hearts

Guess who the Spidey on the left is?

For Miss Judith

Your kids. Two of them skipped from 6th to 8th grade!

Your girls. Do they look older to you? To me they look exactly the same, but then I see them everyday.

"Triplets." The girl on the far left is a cousin of the Taylor girls (you remember the ones that always walked home with the maid?) She's already finding her niche in our little school family.

Same three girls on Face Decoration Day.

For Ms. Lee

"The Koreans" (plus the other two).

I know you remember this guy fondly. He's doing better, and he's in REAL this year.



Your girls.

The boys in black. Recognize them?

For Miss Vero

The three who came back.

He's just thrown the little kids version of the shotput (a rubber ball)

Here's one of your kiddos rockin' the limbo contest.

For Miss Britni

Brit, you really did leave something of yourself in these kids. Babs and I were looking at this picture last night and we both felt like we could see something distincly "Brit"-like in the attitudes of these kids.

You remember this "good fella".

She was really good at the limbo contest. I think she won for her age group.

And One for Riki
Even though I didn't see most of your kids last year, I thought you might recognize these three (or at least two of them anyway?)

You know you're a confident teacher when you can do this. . .

Nicole and Me, Costume or Animal Day, SDA Spirit Week, October 14, 2008

Girlie, Rhonda, Nicole, and Cristina. Triplets or More Day, SDA School Spirit Week. Friday, October 17, 2008

Me striking a pose during a skit for joint worship, Friday, October 17, 2008

Me & Rhonda, Opposite Career Day. SDA School Spirit Week. Wednesday, October 15, 2008. (On this day we were supposed to come dressed as the career opposite the one we wanted to be. I came as a coal miner, and Rhonda came as a janitor. Nothing against those worthy professions of course. We'd just rather teach!)


Girlie decorated for Face Decoration Day. October 16, 2008

Cristina with one of our high school freshman showing off their facial hair fashions on Face Decoration day, SDA School Spirit Week, Thursday, October 16, 2008.

. . .and not lose the students' respect. Once the kids know you mean business you can afford a little silliness without losing the reigns of your class.

This past week, we teachers enthusiastically participated in our School Spirit Week organized by our newly elected Student Association officers. As you can see some of our costumes were pretty outlandish, but nonetheless, after the initial laughter from the kids, it was buisness as usual--pig nose, unibrow and all.

Each year's group of teachers brings something special and irreplacable to our students and our school. Each year's team makes a difference and changes lives. In the past several years we've had some particularly outstanding teams, each with their own unique group personality and style, and this year is no different. I've aleady decided on the theme for this year's team of teachers. If two years ago they were the Rock Stars and last year they were the Runners, this year, though these photos might suggest otherwise, they are the Professionals. Whether they hold their teacher certificate or not, this year's teachers are consumate professionals. They work really hard, they are serious about their students academic succeess, and they manage their classrooms like they've been doing it for years. Especially,this year with Babs out on maternity leave, it's been a real blessing to have such a strong team. Clearly God knew we'd need some special help this year and called in. . .the Professionals.



And now a pictorial version of the skit, "Run In Such A Way." Bev originally played this role of the runner who doesn't actually run. I did my best to live up to her performance.



We did this skit for joint worship this past Friday, and because it was also our second half of our Olympic Game Day, we actually did it out on the road where the kids would be running their races. The students thought that it was actually going to be the first race of the day, when suddenly I showed up decked out like this:


I made the other runners wait while I stripped off my flashy track suit to reveal this snazzy running ensemble:


After that, my flashy runner keeps stopping the race from starting so he can do various things like eat a snack, drink a soda or. . .


. . .warm up to some cool techno beats:

Ready to run again, the starter finally gets to start the race but my character watches them take off casually and then starts packing up his flashy gear. "Aren't you going to run?" the starter asks. "Me run?", I reply, " No I just come here to look good. See you next week?" The take home message? We shouldn't treat the Christian life like this runner treated the race. How many of us show up once a week to look and feel good, talk a big game about serving the Lord, but never actually run the race?

"Let us run in such a way that we may receive the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24