The traffic was heavy as I rushed from my chemistry class to the magical space where the Kindergarten Readiness Bags were being filled. My head was buzzing with information about electrons, ionization, and countless chemistry rules. During those hectic moments in the car, I directed too much of my focus into the fast action of transporting myself from one location to another, not realizing what I was truly about to enter.
I swiftly entered the space where the bags were being filled and received a quick review of the process. The organization and thought put into the preparation were astonishing. Soon, eager volunteers began taking different spots on the two assembly lines created for filling the bags. Grab a bag, open the bag, pass by each station to fill the bag, drop off the bag, repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat.
The energy was undoubtedly high as everyone began taking action. Then, I looked at the piles and piles of bright yellow bags and was sure we would be filling bags all afternoon. The bags seemed to be regenerating themselves. Soon, I was focused on the meaningful conversations I was having with the people around me and, of course, the careful filling of the Kindergarten Readiness Bags. People were excited to be making a profound impact with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-level reading, and they made sure to communicate it. We had conversations about school, how their days were, what they were enjoying about the current process, favorite books, and many other topics.
During a quieter time when I was refilling the pile of the doodle pads, I realized how fortunate I was to be in a room among amazing people, touching thousands of lives through the Kindergarten Readiness Bags. I was lucky to be opening a cardboard box filled with doodle pads that would soon reach the hands of intelligent and excited children; a doodle pad that could be a child’s first introduction to the world of art or the creation of fun words or new patterns and numbers. Like the doodle pad, every item in the bag has the potential to impact a life significantly. I thought back to how I was so caught up in rushing from one place to another and realized how silly I was not to have focused on impactful meaning before fleeting action.
Everyone continued filling bags and having conversations, and before I knew it, almost all the bags were gone. I could not believe the big piles of yellow bags I saw at the beginning had all been filled. The teamwork made the process incredibly smooth and speedy. With everyone united under one goal, addressing the most common issues and obstacles that impact a child’s ability to read, thousands of lives will be impacted through the thoughtful contents of the Kindergarten Readiness Bags.
