8th Grade Tshirt Endeavor

Life's Little Challenges

Sometimes people think I am truly crazy.. I have a story to tell about overcommitting. Every year our Jr. High puts out an 8th grade tshirt for graduation. It has a graphic on the front and all the students names on the back. It is also typically done at the Elementary school for 5th grade and then sometimes for the High School individual classes- but not always with their names on the back. Anyway, this year there was rumor in early April that this was not going to happen. Sometimes things like Tshirts can be a challenge. We found out why. See you have to fill out an "application" of sorts. You submit the information, the vendor, the graphic etc. The vendor for your shirts has to be approved by the district etc. Since I have never actively participated in a Booster Program I didn't realize how difficult this process could truly be. I also didn't realize that it was something we had to do. A week ago I found out there wasn't any organization on campus handling the sell of these shirts. There were enough parents and students that I knew immediately that would want such a shirt so I decided to take it on. How hard could it truly be..well because we needed all this approval from the principal it turned out to be a huge obstacle. It was important to my two students and their friends so I decided to take the sale of the shirts off campus.
My son and daughter both worked together to come up with this cute graphic. I knew someone that could help with the making of this shirts because his company does this kind of thing. Then I started a facebook page for sign ups, and some word of mouth between students. I have gone to a couple of churches, sat in the church parking lot the night of the 8th grade dance, sat at the stroll during their community event..its been a lot of work. I am truly saddened that I could not get the whole entire thing sponsored so that every 8th grader could have a shirt. See I can't reach every 8th grader that might want one because I cannot sell them on campus. I cannot collect their names, collect their money or distribute their shirts at the school, it all has to be handled off campus. I pray that if students still want shirts after the ones that have ordered them receive them that we could maybe place a second order. I also pray that in the future the 8th grade shirts will be put back at the school and an organization will decide it is worth their time. I have had so many people tell me it is not necessary and its a silly idea and a waist of time. I guess to me its all worthwhile just to have one child happy to have the shirt.
Most importantly I am thankful for those that have supported my desire to provide something to all these kiddos and their loved ones after all that is truly what life is all about.