This week has been flying by. It is amazing how much school social work can really wipe you out. Monday flew by with many girls wanting to meet with me about different situations going on either at school, home, or with friends. Girl Drama never continues to amaze me.

Tuesday was a day filled with observations at the elementary school, which usually involves a lot of nose picking, and then to the high school to catch up with a few girls I talked to on Monday.



Wednesday morning Tom and I lead a group with a class that lasted the whole classroom hour. It involved a lot of disclosure from students about situations that make them uncomfortable, some tears, and lots of honesty. We didn't realize how much some of these kids were really hurting. It was a great experience, but at the same time very exhausting. Soon after I worked with a girl because she is failing her strengths training class due to the fact that she hasn't dressed in 4 weeks. Well, she hasn't dressed because she is struggling with her sexual identity and the girls in the locker room make her feel really uncomfortable. After talking with her, her gym teacher, and her classroom teacher, I devised a contract for them all to sign with some options for this girl to feel more comfortable participating and even dressing for class. This took about 2 hours to complete. Afterwards I lead a girls group during lunch hour with some girls who have learning disabilities. Because many of their maturity levels are quite low, it was very interesting. There was a lot of giggling on their part and not a lot of structure from my end. Soon after, I was called down to a classroom to take a girl out who had just got suspended the class prior and was very upset. We talked for about an hour before our group session began. Then I lead a group with some girls about their appearance and learned a lot about how much they hate themselves. I felt horrible for them and wanted to cry because of some of the things people say to them in the hallways.

It made me realize how thankful I am for my blessings. As I ran afterwards to relieve some stress I couldn't help but think about all these different situations and how I am going to deal with this for the rest of my life. Do I want to be a school social worker? Yes. Is it going to be completely exhausting at times? Yes. Can I handle it? Only with the strength of God.



It is extremely difficult to give hope to people who have no hope in anyone or anything. I struggle to piece together how some of these girls even make it through their days having no hope. I can't imagine living in their shoes, even for an hour. I can't imagine going home to some of the situations they have to go home to.

Even in Hudsonville, people are hurting. Hurting so badly. May God continue to bless my work there and hopefully one day bring peace and hope to some of these kids.