Paper Clips

A friend of mine teaches at my school. Her son is one of my students. Early in the year I was standing at a desk and there was a paper clip sitting on it. I picked it up and gave it to him. This started a tradition of sorts (don't ask me why). Almost every day I'd give him a paper clip. Basketball season started with a tournament. I gave him a paper clip the first day of the tournament, like always, and that day he put it in his shoe when he played. They crushed the other team. Somewhere in the chaos after the game, he lost that paper clip. The next day (a Saturday) I got a text from my friend asking if I'd bring a paper clip to the game :) Her son put it in his shoe and they won that game...with his buzzer beater shot. When the game ended he ran over, pointed at me, and said, "paper clip". I don't give him one every day anymore, but I definitely give him one every game day.

As the weeks went on, other students started hearing about the paper clip thing and suddenly they became a thing (I told you, middle schoolers ARE a little quirky). Paper clips for good luck in sports. Paper clips for good luck on tests. Paper clips to cheer kids up. Even paper clips to help kids with difficult home lives remember that someone cares. Paper clips on necklaces...on backpack zippers...you name it.  It was funny to watch happen and also pretty endearing. However, the coolest thing hadn't happened yet.

One day the original paper clip kid (Cody) came up to me during class and the following interaction ensued.

Cody: Is it Thursday?

me: yes

Cody: Can I have a paper clip?

*I handed him a paper clip...slightly confused because he didn't have a game that day*

*he took the paper clip and then handed it back to me*

Cody: There you go.

me: *smiled and thanked him as I realized what had just happened*

What exactly happened, you ask? HE was giving ME a paper clip because I had a game that day! You see, I coach. That day my girls had a home game. He was returning the paper clip tradition to me. And, by the way, we won. When the game was over he walked over to me, pointed, and said, "paper clip".

A lot of people think middle school kids are selfish and/or unaware. That they are only capable of caring about themselves. This is not the case. These kids care. They are observant. And they want people to be happy. The paper clip is just a small, inconsequential, thing. But that day he showed me he'd learned the lesson of giving back. It wasn't just about him winning games on crazy buzzer beater shots (though those moments are pretty awesome). It was about being part of a community and learning that the success of the people you care about is just as rewarding as your own personal success. He got it. He gave back. What would the world be like if more adults got this concept too?

Like I said before, the future is bright. We just have to be willing to see it.

Wishing you all the paper clips ;)

- KL