Taft Day | 6.19
My baby boy graduates from high school Saturday. I’m going to say that one more time, just to give myself a moment longer to process. My baby boy … GRADUATES from high school on Saturday.
Taft was born in 2001, just prior to me being hired as editor of Simple Scrapbooks. He grew up with the magazine and with his mom working—at home. I remember one day, he walked into my office and said. “That’s enough. Get off the pacuter Mom!” Oh I how I love this boy. We have great fun together. He is straight forward, thoughtful, observant, highly creative and completely dedicated to whatever it is he is choosing to do.
Take for example his most recent project for Mr. Sullivan’s AP Literature class. He had him for a class last year too—but anyway, at the end of each semester, Mr. Sullivan gives everyone a chance to earn extra credit, by creating a poster/display of some kind that has to do with something they’ve learned or experienced in his class. Once all the displays are turned in, he hangs them on his walls and the students vote to select a1st, 2nd and 3rd prize. Taft created a poster, based on The Great Gatsby last year that won 3rd prize. He then decided he would try and “place” again this year. His first project which can be seen over Mr. Sullivan’s right shoulder is a large copy of The Declaration of Independence, which he “corrected” with a red ball point pen in the same fashion that Mr. Sullivan corrects their essays and reports. He was awarded 2nd prize for this effort. Yesterday, he got the most votes—1st place—for his most recent extra-credit project. Apparently Mr. Sullivan has a repertoire of things he says when he invites one of his students to turn off the lights, so Taft thought it would be funny and memorable to create a light-switch cover that reflects these words. Obviously this struck a chord with the other students as well.
Young men from church who came to help clean the glasses, add a note in Spanish and package them up for shipping.
Like most seniors, Taft has had an eventful year. I’m actually finishing up his 180 Days scrapbook in the morning, but back to the post at hand … he recently finished his Eagle project—collecting prescription eye glasses to send to Mexico. His brother, Trey is currently serving a mission in and around Hermosillo (in Sonora) so he will help organize missionaries there to distribute more than 100 pairs of prescription glasses to people who simple don’t read, because they don’t have access to such things.
Taft finished this project and the notebook that goes with it just days before he turned 18. I guess my procrastinating ways have rubbed off on him a little! But, the good news is he passed his board of review!
And that’s my update on this one. He’s leaving me for BYU in the fall and then after his freshman year plans to also serve a mission. I’m so grateful for his big heart and hard work. He is a JOY.
