Reckoning’s strategy is to go into a community, identify the most pressing need, and design initiatives for it. Accordingly, Reckoning hosted two art process workshops in C/V last fall and winter. Known as a “migrant workers camp,” this 100% Hispanic neighborhood of 166 homes is characterized by:

We had about fifeteen mothers come to the Art Showcase. That was about 40% of the parents of the students we worked with on this project. It was a great turn out. We had the mentors bring them to the various stations where the students were ready to share what they had made. A few of the volunteers and mentors asked the mothers what they thought of the project and the biggest concerned hey mentioned was safety.

Jazel, a beautiful girl of 12, wrote an amazing poem for our caring pillar about a friend of hers who was terribly beaten up at

Caring is a fairly easy concept to understand. It is at the heart of ethical behavior and brings all the other virtues into focus. It clarifies if an action is fair, respectful or responsible as we measure how that action was received.

What does it mean to be fair? Does it really mean we all get the same? Does it mean that everyone should be treated the same way no matter what? Who decides what is fair? Everyone has to follow the rules all the time no matter what! Is that fair?

As leaders and teachers, we all have a sense of fairness as we desire that those we lead and teach feel that we are fair. What does that look like? Is it fair that a student who doesn't understand get more one on one time with the teacher than another student? Is it fair that a student who is slower in drawing have more time? 

As the mentors led the students in this weeks art project, the students were given the task to draw a super hero. The powers they could possess were love, peace. kindness, caring, repect. responsibility, fairness. etc. The super hero uses these powers to help in the commiunity. They should have a side kick, someone to work with "as saving the world is not an easy task."

As we work through the pillars of character with our artpieces, I am still amazed at how little we all speak of virtues we base so muchof our decisions on. Respect is something we all desire from others and yetdisrespectful behaviors and actions seem to be more common especially withchildren in how they treat each other. Bullying is the number one problem inmost schools, which indicates a level of tolerance for disrespectful attitudesand behaviors.

One thing I learned doing the kunst en kijk (art and see)project in January/February, is that I needed to "own" these projects for myself. I had to find a way to incorporate my personality and experience in the process of guiding others through it.

In the morning I meet with the mentors and take them through the art activity and then in the afternoon, the mentors do the same project with the students. I am there to coach and assist.