Inspired to be extraordinary

Wawrick Neck students celebrate International Dot Day

Posted 9/16/14

Students at the Warwick Neck Elementary School filled the gym Monday morning as they gathered for a special presentation as part of the school’s participation in and celebration of the phenomenon …

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Inspired to be extraordinary

Wawrick Neck students celebrate International Dot Day

Posted

Students at the Warwick Neck Elementary School filled the gym Monday morning as they gathered for a special presentation as part of the school’s participation in and celebration of the phenomenon known as International Dot Day.

International Dot Day is a grass roots movement in which people are inspired to use their creativity to make their mark and change the world in a positive way.

The movement gets its name from a book called “The Dot,” by New York Times best-selling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds, about how a teacher inspires a young student, who feels she has no artistic talent, to take ownership of what she creates and discovers she has the power to be creative and make her mark. The movement started when Iowa teacher Terry Shay shared the book with his class and upon discovering it was published on Sept. 15, 2003, the class decided to celebrate the book’s birthday on Sept. 15.

Warwick Neck first grade teachers Amy Dolan and Tracy Mollock coordinated the school celebration, which featured a reading of “The Dot” by Mayor Scott Avedisian, as well as words from Sgt. First Class (SFC) Shayne Chapman, whose son Devin attends the school, and professional BMX bike rider Kevin Robinson, who has won two gold medals at the X-Games and set a world record.

“Tracy found it on Twitter and it ballooned from there. We found the book and learned about the philosophy of Dot Day,” Dolan said. “It’s an international movement, with 1.5 million people participating.”

Avedisian told the students we see dots everywhere.

“We don’t think about the power dots have or the impact a dot can make on a person, school and community,” he said before discussing the book he was about to read. “This book is about an art student who wasn’t sure she was making an impact and fit in.”

Avedisian said the girl worried she couldn’t draw, so she started painting dots, experimenting with many colors. This inspired her and she gave one to the teacher, who returned it to her and told her to sign it, take ownership of her work.

“The girl felt like she didn’t have any talent, but she got inspired by creating dots,” he told the students. “She created many more and people came and looked at her dots and they got inspired.”

Avedisian said the girl in the story took what happened to her and turned a negative into a positive.

“We’re asked to do that all the time and a negative becomes a positive experience each and every day,” he said.

The next speaker was Chapman, who said he joined the military when he was 17 and has been serving for 23 years. In the military he’s a computer technician, but he said he also serves as a college professor.

“I’m here to talk to you about being brave and standing up to bullying,” he told the students. “Be brave, have integrity and do the right thing when no one is looking. Stay educated because an education will unlock many doors for you.”

Chapman also had a message for the teachers.

“I challenge the teachers to not be complacent; strive to better yourselves and your students,” he said.

Chapman said he served during two wars, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and has visited many countries during his time in the service.

“I’m not nervous when I do what I do because I know my training is good, but the toughest thing about my job is being away from my family,” he said. “One of the hardest things I had to be brave at was when my wife was pregnant with Devin and 9/11 happened and I had to leave to go serve. It was hard, but it was my job. I signed up for it.”

Next to speak was Robinson, who recently retired from the BMX circuit and now works as a commentator for ESPN. He also owns Impact Skate Park in West Warwick and runs the K-Rob non-profit, which helps kids stay involved in sports.

Robinson told the students he’s overcome many adversities following his passion of BMX biking, which has brought him to over 30 countries where he’s “met amazing people and experienced wonderful things.”

“I ride a little kid’s bike for a living, which is proof you can do whatever you want to do,” Robinson said. “You get one shot at this life – have fun with it and do what you want.”

Robinson also had a message about being kind to others.

“Treat people with kindness, work as hard as you can and do what you like,” he said. “Dream your life, then live your dream!”

Robinson then had the students shout the last line with him three times, which the students gladly did.

“Work real hard and go after your dream. Do not give up if you fail,” he said in closing.

Following Robinson’s remarks, which were accompanied by a short video exhibiting his BMX skills, first graders lined up and shared inspiring quotes from the likes of Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln, C.S. Lewis and others about how to live your dream.

Following a final video about what it means to be a hero, Mollock had a request for the students.

“You see a lot of kids in videos on the Internet that are heroes. Now I want you to be my heroes and my videos to show others,” she said. “Tell me how you want to change the world.”

Dolan explained students can visit the website, Sophia.org, where they can watch three videos and their assignment is to say how they would make their mark on the world.

Students ended the celebration by standing up and singing “The Dot Song,” with a theme and chorus of, “make a mark, make it matter.”

Principal Patricia Cousineau closed the presentation by saying, “We’re ordinary people, but we can do extraordinary things. That’s the message to take with you.”

Dolan said this is the first time the school participated in International Dot Day, but it won’t be the last. She said the school is in the process of coming up with a project all students can participate in to continue the theme of Dot Day.

“One idea is making blankets for the homeless at the shelter. We have a lot of ideas floating around,” she said. “We want it to be project-based, not donation-based. Something the whole school can do.”

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