It’s summer break — get dirty

There’s a line in the movie “A League of Their Own” when a female baseball player fondly advises a group of school age kids, “Get dirty!”  That’s my sentiment exactly this time of year. Kids and staff alike have all been counting down the days. It is finally here. Today is the last day of school! Summer vacation is happening for some of us, and GRADUATION for those lucky seniors!

On long weekends or over holiday breaks, I usually send my students off with the line, “Sleep in, be a lazy bum for me.” I’m changing my tune now. It might be my age but I’m thinking the best advice should be, “Get dirty!”

To me, that phrase means to get involved, seek out new things, find out what’s around you and grab all the gusto you can while you’re out there. As teachers and those wonderful folk that help us every day, we’re a pretty fortunate bunch to have a chance to refocus, change course and prepare ourselves for a new batch of young minds to mold. Summer break can mean lots of things to lots of people. Some of us take classes, some travel, some have seasonal jobs … but all of us get the chance to catch our breath, to renew the energy and to remember our love for life long learning, that got us here in the first place.

There are many ways to fill your summer. Kids need not fill every moment, though. Camps, chores, summer school and schedules can really add up to no down time at all. A dear friend recently told me that kids should just “be.”  Take time in the woods or out on the water. Find a place where you can’t see or hear one other person, or anything manmade. Take trips, even little ones close to home. Learn the name of somewhere new. Play games outside in your yard. Take time to leisurely read your favorite book in the sun.  Spend time with your family.  Just “be.”

Graduates, you own the world now. Every single door is open. Congratulations! You’ve worked very hard and have experienced many years of long months in between those coveted summer breaks.  If you are college bound in the fall, I’m hoping you’ll take my words into account to enjoy this precious time right now.  If life is taking you down different roads, do the same … Life 101 is all about staying engaged in something you love. Getting dirty should be way up high on your life’s list of goals.

I’m very lucky. My husband, Chris, is also a teacher, a really fun teacher. So I always have a constant playmate. He is the one that has kept me young. He’s always up for something, and has a natural way of figuring out that once we’ve worked too much, we NEED to stop and play. A kid needs to be or to find a playmate like that!

When my kids leave me today, it’s going to be ALL about getting dirty … have a glorious summer break!

Kathleen Jones teaches at  Sherrod Elementary School in Palmer.