"Can we do this everyday!" - a student at The Cove
Normnot Academy Summer at The Cove
Since the beginning of our announcement of our partnership with The Cove - Heart of Texas to facilitate our Life Sessions: Managing Me curriculum, we have been anxiously waiting in excitement for the summer to begin. The Cove of Central Texas during the school year offers a safe environment Monday through Thursday, 4 – 8 pm, for Waco ISD High School students experiencing homelessness. There they have access to showers, mental healthcare, case management, a family-style dinner, healthy snacks, an optional workout program, washer/dryer, tutoring services, educational programming through community partners, and WISD “seat time” recovery.
Our vision was to provide leadership education as part of their newly formed summer program, which included students attending The CDF Freedom School in Waco, TX. Knowing the circumstantial reasons why students were a part of The Cove, we were committed to delivering our best. We felt that we would have an impact, but didn’t expect in return that the students would have such an impact on us. All the students were eager to learn, participate and in most cases were very in tune to a positive outlook on life. It meant a lot to us that we were able to provide a space where we can discuss and guide them to be good successful leaders in their communities and abroad.
During one of our sessions on values and principles, a student made this statement that melted our hearts, “I wish we could do this every day!” This statement will resonate with us for years and years to come. It was a wonderful reminder for why we’re doing what we’re doing and is in direct correlation to our tagline and vision: A Culture that Transforms Community.
Not only did the students touch our hearts but the volunteers and staff of the Cove were inviting and incredible counterparts to our curriculum, lessons and activities. We had no idea that they too would have a lasting impact on us and learned they were encouraged and anticipating our arrival along with the students.
Although the summer is only three months, it was the best three months that Normnot Academy could have asked for this year in providing accessible leadership education to the community. We’re sad that the summer is over, but our time at The Cove is not!
We are happy and honored to announce that we are invited to come back and continue through the school year! To sum it up, it was an inspiring summer and look to be an inspiring school year.
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