9/21/00: FEA meeting, early afternoon
The whole club was there. They sat, semi-quietly, as the officers spoke their two cents worth. Then, they arrived at the most important subject: tomorrow’s ‘Welcome Back Parade’; a fairly silly spectacle it was, but a good way for the fledgling club to become known and recognized throughout the campus.
The officers asked the member to represent this club. Already, half of them couldn’t participate; half of the club was made of up of seniors, and they would be representing the Senior Steering club. Another third of the remaining had other loyalties. That left six, maybe seven, members.
GC raised her hand. “I’ll go out there. I have no other clubs to go to.” The remaining seven raised their hands as well. Good, seven people would be representing FEA. The publicity officer took a few members from the meetings and went to the Art Department, two floors down, to finish the club’s sign. The remaining officers spoke some more, then the meeting adjourned.
9/22/00
GC said goodbye to her mom, walked the few hundred feet or yards or meters it took to get to the C-Building, then up the four flights of stairs to her locker. She pleased her locker by entering the combo correctly, then deposited the heavy, backbreaking books into the cool, metal, rectangular space. Carting what she needed for first and second period, GC walked to her Reg. Room to check in.
“H’lo, Mrs. E. I’m checking in, ‘cause I’ve got to represent Future Educators in the Welcome Back Parade,” GC said in greeting to her Reg. Room teacher
“Alrighty. Here, I’ll mark you here, and you can go.”
GC nodded, began to walk out, and stopped. “Um, Mrs. E.?”
“Yes?”
“This is the first time I’d be doin’ this, so do you have any idea as to what I’m supposed to do?”
“Well, you go into the PE Field, find where your club is supposed to wait, then wait there.”
GC nodded and ‘uh-huh’-ed as her Reg. Room teacher spoke. That wasn’t so hard. “Thanks a bunch, Mrs. E.” GC walked out of the room, the building, and towards the PE Field.
9/22/00, PE Field, early morning
GC found the FEA meeting place after a few minutes of aimless wandering. She was the first to arrive, which was a rather alarming occurrence, as the first bell would ring in less than five minutes. Patience prevailed, however, as two members, both boys, showed up. Less then seven, perhaps, but better then being alone.
There was still one problem: the banner, the one the Publicity Officer supposedly finished yesterday, was nowhere to be found. GC asked the President and Publicity Officer, both whom were unable to represent FEA, of the whereabouts of the banner; neither knew. One of the boys suggested they go to the Art Department and look for it. GC hesitated, then ultimately agreed.
The search failed, except for GC, who probably ran off a pound or two, lugging that heavy backpack of hers all the way across the campus. GC and the others returned, dejected, to the FEA marker. Another problem: no one else had shown up during their absence.
GC looked at the marker and sighed. This would be tough. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. Looking all around, GC ripped the marker from the blacktop. It was red; it had black lettering, it was small, therefore barely readable.
But it would be the FEA sign.
By now the crowds of other clubs had started to move. Soon, it would be the Future Educators of America’s turn to strut their stuff for about 3,200 fellow students. GC and the boys got up to the ramp that led to the track.
Suddenly, GC’s comrades fled to the group in front of them: an all-male basketball team. GC blanched. No way she could join them. She would have to tough it out, one way or another. Holding her 8 ½ X 11” sign high, she entered the field.
Let the people laugh and point, and let the boys cower. GC was a strong supporter of teachers, good ones, that is, and she would not slink away in shame. “Come join Future Educators!” she cried out repeatedly. The teachers loved it. GC even saw the clubs’ class teacher, Mrs. See. She just laughed and cheered her on. Some of GC’s friends did as well.
It was a “Welcome Back fiasco,” one that would stay in the annals of the members of FEA and Careers with Children for all time.
