Lena graduated from middle school this past Friday. She’s been at her school since 4th grade, so for 5 years. In just a few short months she heads off to Bishop O’Dowd to start as a freshman, back to the bottom of the ladder.  Life is a lot like that – sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re not. She’s excited and nervous at the same time. The nerves have mainly to do with leaving behind her group of friends who have been her second family over the past many years. They are a group of 10 or so boys and girls, calling themselves the PBP or ‘Planter Box People’ as they meet every lunch period in the school garden and sit on the planter boxes discussing all manner of things: politics, movies, personal stuff, etc. Lena describes themselves as the ‘school nerds’. It’s been a terrific group of kids (and families) for her to belong to.  One of the photos from the day is of a subset of the PBP in their home away from home – the garden.

I hope there are planter boxes waiting for Lena at O’Dowd.