West Valley: We still all scream for ice cream
The substitute teacher stared hopelessly at the roll sheet. Unfortunately our class was host to an Aaron DaTires, Jyeszika (Jessica) Joen’z, and a May Sebastian Ned Gidion Zerack Malache III. Luckily, she was saved by the bell, which wasn’t a surprise, as the fire alarm had gone off at least twice every period for the last week.
This was due to the asbestos dust created by the construction workers tearing down the school around us. After leaving our precious belongings behind, we were quickly informed that our homework was not in fact bursting into flames!
Just three short hours after hearing this news we were permitted to return to our lopsided desks and now leaking roof. It had started raining outside and the construction worker’s duct tape was no longer holding the roof together. However, we soon discovered this was the least of our worries. We broke 14 test tubes that day. Chemistry was a rocky road, like the ice cream, but not as delicious.
Speaking of ice cream, the only thing left between us and our favorite after-school dessert was physical education. P.E. was especially exciting that day. Two full minutes of intense dip-duck-diving dodgeball passed before Travis the Terminator reamed Sally Stand-in-the-Corner in the face with a mean one! Because of the ungodly amount of blood pouring from her nose, the game was shortly ended. Hooray, school’s out! Our early release was shortly-lived, though. As we ran for the ice cream truck we were rudely interrupted by the construction crossing. Half an hour and two backhoes, three tractors, and one steamroller later, we finally enjoyed our ice cream.
The past four years have been spent building a new school around the foundation of an old one, and it’s been a lot of work. We’ve had to deconstruct the walls of our old ways of thinking in order to build new insights and understandings. Sometimes this process has been chaotic and ridiculous. Backhoes, substitute teachers, fire alarms, and bloody noses have prepared us for anything. Watch out world – here we come.