I’m STILL Trying To Pay You Back

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” That’s a quote from one of the greatest teachers of all time named Fred Rogers. My mission today is to not only seek the helpers, but to also highlight some of my favorite helpers from Apple Ridge Academy.

Apple Ridge Academy is a family-operated Preschool and Childcare program that has been supporting many families through early learning for children since February 2010. Based in Wisconsin (New Berlin and Brookfield), I personally watched this program positively change lives of babies and adults. As a preschool teacher in New Berlin, I came in with the willingness to learn from the ones who trusted me. I was literally rescued by ARA from a third shift warehouse position (long story), that I could feel was vacuuming my soul away, and was molded into the man and teacher I am today. They gave me a chance, and I’m forever grateful because teaching is my purpose. With wonderful super-heroines like Tammy, Ashley, Andrea, Cristlyn, and the magical Traci, ARA is a powerful place that I will always support. And I wanted to use this platform to tell you why you should support too.

I’ve created a video featuring real interactions with brilliant children, filmed by enthusiastic and engaged staff, so that you can witness the beauty of ARA yourselves. It also features a poem I wrote for the families trying to keep moving forward during a time their child may not be able to attend school, or they’re missing their favorite teacher and friends who have been mostly home since the spread of COVID-19. ARA staff have been doing a marvelous job of still connecting with families through Zoom meetings, frequent posts onto Facebook and Instagram, random surprise drop offs of goodies, and more. It’s inspiring to see teachers go the extra mile for their kids, even when a massive curveball was thrown at Earth. These are the people we should always be lifting up, and surprising with random appreciation videos. Okay, I will stop talking for now so you can watch the video.

Find the video “PLAY” and lyrics below...

APPLE RIDGE

There’s nothing like a video to help us, in the end

Let’s not even say “The End,” let’s say “restart and then begin”

Rewatching moments you were exploring, imagining, playing pretend

The moments you saw things exploding, sitting laughing with your friends

Watching your toys blast, singing loud with your class

Counting steps as you danced

And pointed out letters on some bags

Or what about the time you had the basketball in your hands

You moved closer to the basket, and then you dunked it for the fans

Now you start rewinding, before the video goes dark

Reversing back to the beginning, to visit all your favorite parts

Sometimes in this moment is when the emotions start to lodge

So before you move forward, I’m inviting you to pause...

Don’t forget to smile,

And I hope you never forget to play

And never ever forget that Apple Ridge loves you

Even when you’re away...

To every child that watched the video, you can trust me when I say that your teachers love and miss you. You are not forgotten. Remember that your artwork, pictures, videos, and technology are tools to give you smiles and still feel connected. I still feel connected to my ARA fam, and I know they will keep doing their best to remain connected with you.

To further support Apple Ridge Academy, you can share the beauty of their work with this post. You can also follow their work on Instagram @AppleRidgeAcademy2010, where they do a great job of showing the adventures of the classroom. I love you Apple Ridge Academy, and I will never stop loving you. I hope you never forget it. I’ll make sure to continue bugging you no matter how far away I move. Stay safe, strong, and supportive of small businesses everyone. We can all be a helper for someone...