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Justin,
I'd like you to receive this; and I also ask that you please forward
this
to each team member
--Ana, Greg, and Petit.
THANK YOU!
And thanks again.
 Why? Because GEAR UP FOR EXCELLENCE "ministered"
Strength, Courage,
Forgiveness, Healing, Compassion, Grace, Accountability, Awakenings,
New
Life, Hope, Compassion, Trust, "Finally Some Recognition," "A Chance
for
Everyone," Understanding, Knowledge, "A Good Plan," Truth, Wisdom,
and,
above all...LOVE, for the person right next to you. On behalf
of each of
our students, I wish to express our gratitude.
Their experience was absolutely and completely unexpected--so far
"Out of
Their Own Left Field" that they couldn't have seen the ball coming
had it
been wearing a sign--and it was so, so, soooo WELCOME! The
unpredictability and musical, physical, and emotional, and social
level of
relevance and engagement was like a deep a breath of good, clean
air, for
most, after feeling like they'd been trapped underwater all their
lives.
No joke or lighthearted analogy.
 I, personally, hope that you all find a HOME everywhere your travels
lead
you; but especially amongst my kids (for lack of a more appropriate
term),
whom you've blessed from head to toe with full baskets of emotional,
spiritual, personal, and social equivalents of Giant Chocolate Bars.
They "Liketed 'Em!" We (and I speak for our group as a
whole), hope to
see you all again soon on LIFE's ever-traversing pathways, because I
know
for a fact that the next time you see this group of student that
they'll
have something to to teach you in return.
 Godspeed to you all (a blessing irregardless of personal creed),
because I
had the privilege of seeing firsthand the work that you are doing).
I'd
also like you all to know that every single student, in their own
time and
own way, thanked me for their invitation to participate in this
academy.
They had to board a bus at 7:00 AM, and didn't arrive at home again
until
around 8:00 PM. However, I didn't hear one complaint from one
single
student about this demanding schedule. They traveled one hour,
one way,
from Arvin/Lamont to CSUB, and then back home again in that
overwhelmingly hot tin can of a bus, just to be part of what was
going
on. Nathalie Chavez, the exceptionally smart and cunning young
lady who
could and would easily trap a Velocoraptor if she had to, ran up to
me,
gave me a hug, and said the following:
"I would not have traded this for anything in this world." And
I think
she summed it up for everyone.
 Be very, very well, and may Happiness surround you,
Troy Diaz
GEAR UP Special Programs Coordinator
California State University, Bakersfield
9001 Stockdale Highway
Bakersfield, California 93311-1099
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