The Friday Finish – January 17, 2025
Prayer in School, Education through Cooking, and Snow Angel Bonding

Although students and staff expected to return to school on Monday, January 6th, the weather forecast altered that schedule. A state of emergency was declared as a major snowstorm impacted the Red Bird community on Sunday. Heavy snowfall, ice accumulations, power outages and cold temperatures resulted in school closures all across the region.
The doors of Red Bird School may have been closed due to weather conditions, but learning and education continued for Red Bird Christian School students utilizing online platforms for Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) Days. The 4th and 5th grade teacher assigned the activity of “Life Skills in the Kitchen” to record responses/results of observations and reflections on someone else’s cooking experience; plan a recipe; utilize math challenges involving adjustments in the recipe; cook and document the activity; to reflect and record their experience cooking; create a menu description of their dish; and submit a photo and their responses/results. Photos of students preparing and proudly displaying their own dish were posted praising students for their hard work and creativity.
The Kindergarten class of Red Bird Christian School (RBCS) did the unexpected, leaving
the teacher in awe. Thursday was the first day back in the school building since Christmas break and the start of the New Year.
“I was greeted with big smiles and lots of hugs that warmed my heart on this cold morning,”
says Chasley Collett, Kindergarten teacher.
As the class prepares to line up for lunch, the class line leader raises her hand. Before leaving for the lunch room, she says to “Miss Chasley”,

“I want to pray.”
The Kindergartener gathers her classmates around, joining hands.
“I want to pray for my friends and for Mrs. Wilder (School Principal) because we love her,”
she says as she and the rest of the Kindergarten class create their own little prayer circle. A simple prayer, yet a profound one. A short prayer, yet incredibly impactful.
A new winter phenomenon across online platforms, the “Snow Angel Challenge”, promoted bonding among teachers, staff, and many members of the Red Bird community this week. Peers nominated friends and teachers to partake in the challenge to go outside and create snow angels wearing summer clothing. This, in return, created a “snowball effect” as teachers nominated other staff members and students creating fun and humor. After being challenged by one of her 6th grade students, Monica Geekie, 6th grade teacher, jokingly says,
“You're getting extra homework for this!”
as she ends the video of her “Snow Angel Challenge.”
Community Store Breaks Cabin Fever

Obviously, traffic and sales at the Red Bird Mission Community Store was affected by the winter weather last week and the beginning of this week, but customers are coming back this week. Several folks were shopping just before closing on Thursday afternoon that included Red Bird Christian School staff and community residents. Melanie Adams, RBCS Guidance Counselor and Culinary Arts Instructor, was picking up kitchen tools for culinary class and games for student reward time.
Community Store staff are almost covered up in the warehouse due to holiday and snow closures and the limited openings recently. Pat, Community Store Cashier, said they completed changeover of the store’s inventory when traffic was lower, and Kelton, Economic Opportunity Director, had two points to share today, “We can’t take anymore loads at this time because we don’t have room in the warehouse, and we could use some volunteers to help this winter because we are short-staffed right now.”
Red Bird Family Celebrates Expected Little One

Several Red Bird staff gathered at The Cardinal Café Thursday morning to send one of their colleagues off on family leave with a shower of gifts and hugs. Tamara Brock, a graduate of Red Bird Christian School (RBCS), started her Red Bird career a couple of years ago as staff in the Early Childhood Education (ECD) Preschool and Day Care. Everyone wishes Tamara and her husband, Davey (also a RBCS alum), the best as they welcome their first child.
Leaving a Legacy
It doesn’t happen every week, or even every month, but sometimes Red Bird receives a major, unexpected gift from someone that far exceeds their giving history to Red Bird. Recently, two donors, one an alumnus and the other someone that believed in Red Bird’s mission, gave legacy gifts at their passing. One donated a rental house that is being sold and the other named Red Bird Mission as the beneficiary of a trust fund. Both gifts are sustaining Red Bird.
You, too, can make a major impact for the people served by Red Bird Mission through a legacy gift. Talk to your family and your financial advisor or estate planner about your legacy gift to sustain Red Bird after you pass.
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