C.R. Sparkles

A couple of months ago a family friend asked me if I could do her a favor. Her son's Kindergarten class is doing a Flat Stanley like project, where they created their own character, named C.R. Sparkles, and is sending him to different places in the nation to learn more about those particular states. I gladly told her I'd love to participate in the project.

Now, that was a few months ago. This past week I finally received Mr. Sparkles in the mail. At first when I opened the mail box and found the package, I was wondering what it could be, because i had completely forgotten I volunteered! Since the day I did volunteer, it's like my life was on fast forward: i had to finish college applications, take my standardized tests again, study for and take piano lessons weekly, study for my advanced placement classes, meet newspaper deadlines, stay healthy and make appointments for the gym, and on top of that work! I was totally busy and I even started forgetting to change into my pajamas at night! It was honestly crazy, and I received Mr. Sparkles in the middle of all that chaos.

This weekend i finally got time to write about Florida in the eyes of C.R. Sparkles for the kindergarten class. I mentioned Disney world, Saint Augustine, the state capitol Tallahhassee, and even the Everglades, oh, and Cape Canavrel! I figured the boys in the class would get a kick out of hearing about space shuttle lift offs!

In about an hour I was done with Mr. Sparkles' diary. I was super invested in writing about all the great things about Florida, it truly made me wish I could have visited all those places, and it made me proud of our culture-filled, interesting and tropical state I live in.

Afterwards, I thought more about the project itself. Many people say that the future generations will never have grown up the way we did; how technology with take over schools and there will eventually be no physical books but only readers like the Kindle, and how teachers will no longer be needed through online classes. C.R. Sparkles, i thought, is so much cooler than the boring projects we got to do in elementary school. The closest we got to learning first hand facts from real people about the United States was the ten year old worksheets we were filling out. Mr. Sparkles is a totally original idea put into effect in real life! It's so cool so see how teachers today are introducing the wonders of geography and literature to these very young children, even if it is in the most simplest form. Technology, in my opinion, is no evil to the upcoming generations: it's the complete opposite. Children all around the world have the privilege to experience it first hand, and it's obvious that with C.R. Sparkles, that kindergarten class will have a head start.