Nancy Ann Creed

  I will be writing a series of blog posts about my experiences at the Ron Clark Academy (RCA), documenting this transformative professional development journey. Part 1 Traveling to Atlanta This trip marks a significant personal milestone, as it is the first time I have traveled by air since before September 11, 2001. The experience felt somewhat surreal; even the airline check-in agents expressed surprise when they realized how long it had been since my last flight. Over the years, the rising cost of air travel had made it a luxury that simply wasn't a regular part of my life. Consequently, this journey served as my formal introduction to modern TSA procedures. Being unfamiliar with the current strict regulations regarding liquid sizes, I unfortunately had to surrender my lotion at security. Despite this minor setback, the overall travel experience was positive and smooth. I am fortunate to be traveling to the Ron Clark Academy thanks to a generous scholarship provide...

    Photo by Alexander Zvir on Pexels.com The Unbreakable Bonds of Family: A Poetic Reflection The heart's vast, inexplicable room Knows no boundary, feels no gloom, Refuses to tally "by blood" or not, Or ledger a love that can't be bought. It scorns the line, the legal draw, In the deep, emotional valley of awe. For a lifetime, this house was the core, The table as full as the love I bore. I was the anchor in a whirlwind wide, A universe where eleven reside. From my body sprang three, a simple truth, But all eleven are mine, from age to youth. Yet a cruel, invisible wall now starts to rise, Built of "stay away," and "move on" lies. A denial of all I’ve fiercely done, As if this life-love could be undone, Commanded to vanish like dust on the wind, A heart-breaking suggestion, absurdly pinned. They demand a silence, my place declared gone, Insist my role is over, my duty withdrawn. But the only sound now in the empty space, Wher...