Summer School

I haven't been in summer school since I was in junior high. My mother insisted that I learn to type and a girlfriend and I biked over to learn how. It was rather strange. The teacher set us up and disappeared to the back room. We had keys with covers and looked up at a chart and dutifully did the drills. In a few weeks I could type without looking at the keys. This has been a very useful class.

 This time I signed myself up at the Community Center here in San Jose to take classes in digital photography. I have used film and done hundreds of pictures for family and for Project Lost Sheep but going to digital and the camera with all its setttings made me realize that I needed to sit and learn.

It is strange to be sitting with 14 other adults and learning very slowly this whole new way of taking pictures. Those of you under 30 may not feel challenged by new technologies but I can assure you that the above 50 crowd definitely needs to have help.

 What a thrill to learn how to turn the flash off and then shoot some macro pictures. I am even reading the camera manual. (not that easy) From being a timid person with the camera I am becoming much more confident that I'll get the hang of it all and be able to produce better pictures.

The classroom situation is ideal because there are three adult helpers besides the instructor. I can stick my hand up and someone will come to my computer table and help me.

One reason children drop out of school is they get frustrated with learning because they don't get help with their homework and so are set up to fail. This is especially true in math.

In San Jose 40% of people from low income backgrounds WILL NOT GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. This figure can and will be changed. We are going to offer tutoring and help down here. There are many different ways to address the problem of success but for sure IF YOU DON'T GET THE BASICS YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT LATER.

Let's get real. The school drop out rate here and elsewhere is a community problem. We are called by the Lord to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Let's look down and serve the children.