The Falciani Kids

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Las Fiestas del Año

Luke had a project for Spanish class. The task was to build a working-hands clock (it didn't need to keep time, just the hands had to be moveable) that had a Hispanic culture theme. He decided to focus on Hispanic holidays. The idea that emerged was to use the 12 "hour" sections on a clock to correspond with a particular month, and illustrate a holiday from that month.

We started with a trip to Home Depot. I forgot my credit card (it was in the diaper bag after a trip to duPont), but between the few bucks in my wallet, a couple dollars' worth of change in my pockets, and the three bucks in Luke's wallet, we managed to get the supplies we needed without another trip back. We got a 2x2 piece of plywood for the face, and some colored duct tape, nuts, washers, and a bolt to make the hands.

We put two coats of primer/sealer on the board for a base coat, and then started decorating. The blessing of deciding to homeschool Jude is that we had a lot of the arts and crafts supplies already in the house. We did need to make a Michael's run for a few things (like Tacky Glue because Elmer's wasn't adhering things right) but the bulk of the supplies we already had.

Starting our layout...

We didn't necessarily do things in the "correct" order -- it was pretty much an "easiest to hardest" progression. Here he's working on December - La Fiesta de Virgen de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe).

Putting together January -- La Fiesta de los Tres Reyes Magos (Three Kings' Day).

He free-hand drew the silhouettes of the Magi on their dromedaries, and cut them out and painted them black.

He opted for white stars to be the night star, and a gold star for the guiding star.

Slowly we managed to make inroads on the project. By the end of Saturday, he had about half of the clock put together.

Sunday involved the trip to Michael's. He stayed home and did more work while Matthew and I went out. By Sunday night, we were about 2/3 done. We changed gears and got die-cut numbers because the pipe cleaner ones weren't sticking properly.

Today, we finished the project. He has a doctor appointment on Thursday - the day it's due - and won't get to school until lunch or so. The plan is to take it to school tomorrow, so that even if he isn't in the building, at least his project is.

You have to find the humor in a felt Salvador del Mundo (Savior of the World) sporting google eyes. He tried to make each section unique, and hadn't used those yet.

Almost done. The sections were finished, now we just had to build the clock hands. They're made out of doubled over duct tape, and anchored with a carriage bolt and nuts. We put a nut and washer between each of the hands and the board, to help the hands to easily clear all of the things glued to the clock face.

The finished clock:

¿Qué hora es? What time is it?

A la una: enero- la fiesta de Los Tres Reyes Magos

(January - Epiphany, or Three Kings' Day)

A las dos: febrero/marzo - la fiesta de Carnival; una fiesta antes de miércoles de ceniza.

(Februrary/March - Carnival - a fiesta before Ash Wednesday)

A las tres: marzo/abril - Semana Santa; la fiesta celebra el muerto de Jesús

(March/April - Holy Week, celebrating the death of Jesus)

A las quatro: abril - el Día de Los Niños/el Día de Los Libros

(April - Day of the Children; a festival dedicated to the honor and well-being of children. In Mexican heritage areas of the US, it is also celebrated as a day to read to your children -- "Day of the Books")

Los ninos del mundo

(Children of the World)

A las cinco: mayo - el Día de Las Madres

(May - Mother's Day)

A las seis: junio - el Día de San Juan Bautista

(June - Feast of St. John the Baptist. In Puerto Rico, statues of San Juan Bautista are carried to and immersed in rivers.)

A las siete: julio- Los Sanfermines y el corriendo de los toros

(July - The Feast of San Fermin and the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain)

Our pipe-cleaner "torito."

A las ocho: agosto - la fiesta a El Salvador del Mundo.

(August - the feast of the Savior of the World, patron of El Salvador. It's a week-long festival culminating in a re-enactment of the Transfiguration. A statue of the Risen Jesus is lowered into an opened globe, and raised back up again in gleaming white robes.)

Our googley-eyed Jesus ascending

A las nueve: septiembre - la Independencia de México (el Grito de Dolores)

(September - Mexican Independence Day. This is a depiction of the church where the revolution began.)

A las diez: octubre - el Día de la Raza; Colón descubierto el mundo nuevo

(October: literally, "Day of the Race", Columbus discovers the new world.)

A las once: noviembre - el Día de los Muertos

(November: Day of the Dead, or All Soul's Day. Families remember their deceased loved ones, many visiting cemeteries and eating picnic-style meals there.)

Ornately decorated skulls are common motifs for this celebration.

A las doce: diciembre - el Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe

(December - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas and Empress of Latin America)

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Notre Dame Standing Strong

As many of my friends know, last week the Diocese of Camden issued a decree that our school was closing. The reason was for "lack of funding" and "decreasing enrollment," but our school's bookkeeper and several independent audits show that these are patently false. The Diocese set for strict parameters for an appeal to be launched, and we followed these rules. Unfortunately, they decided to change things mid-way and after agreeing to a meeting have rescinded this opportunity. They have threatened the staff with removal if they attempt to give the children hope and behave in any way other than a manner the Diocese decides is consistent with shutting down the school in June.

The children are, in a word, devastated. They are trying to understand something for which we have no explanation to give. They are stunned that one person can decide the fate of so many without accepting the facts of the situation. They are despondent at losing their friends and the community that they are part of.

People are asking, "What can we do?" First, pray. Pray for the children, who need God's comfort more than ever. Pray for the teachers who have to carry on as if it was a normal school year. Pray for the parents, that they will be able to discern what the right thing is for their children. We are all hurting now. And pray that the Bishop's heart may open and that he will listen.

Second, show the Church how much these children need this school. I know many have issues with the Church hierarchy. Honestly, I do too. But for now, set it aside, and please, write a letter to the Apostolic Nuncio. He is the Papal representative to the United States, and has the power to declare that this be reopened. Write to him and tell him what this school means to the children, to their families, to the Church itself. Ask that he prayerfully consider what is being presented to him. These letters need to be sent the "old-fashioned" way -- on paper and via US Mail, Fed Ex, etc. If you can get to a post office and send it certified or return receipt, even better because it means it must be put directly in someone's hand and signed for. We are hopeful for him to receive about 250 letters by Wednesday, February 2. His mailing address is:

Most Reverend Carlo Vigano

Apostolic Nuncio

Apostolic Nunciature United States of America

3339 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.

Washington D.C. 20008-3687

If you have a few pennies in your pocket to spare, donate. All monies are being held in a separate account, and will be returned if we are ultimately closed permanently. You can donate via a secure Paypal link at www.notre-dame-standing-strong.com.

I'm posting copies of the children's letters. I'm so proud of what they've written. Each is well thought, in his or her own words, with minimal revision beyond grammar and punctuation. (I know the scans are not the best quality, but I will revise this post when I figure out a better way to do them. If you click on the images, it should bring them up larger on your screen so they are full size and easier to read.) These are proof of the quality of education they are receiving.

When our beloved Dr. Alimenti had to break the news to the children, she told them it was OK to be sad, it was OK to be angry, and it was OK to hurt. We were all hurting. But with the next breath she reminded them who we are -- whether in the school, on the street, in a new high school because we've moved on, or in a new school because we have been moved. She reminded us that we always will be...

NOTRE DAME STANDING STRONG!!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Pay It Forward Project

Luke has asked me to share his letter with my internet friends, in the hopes that some of you will be kind and help him. He is asking for donations to benefit the Outpatient Therapy waiting room at DuPont Hospital. If you can help, please let us know -- we are grateful for donations, but also for prayers for the wonderful therapists who have helped all of the children.

(Please email us at falciani at comcast dot net if you're willing to help us out! Thank you!)

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November 20, 2011

Dear Friends,

As part of our graduation activities, the 8^th grade students of Notre Dame Regional School are participating in a service project entitled the “Pay It Forward Project.” The purpose of this project is to teach my classmates and me the meaning of fully participating in the communities of which we are members. Each student is given a small amount of cash and is expected to find a way to use it to benefit others, without just handing it to a single person. We are expected to find a way to take what we are given and make it grow to help as in as great a way as we are able.

I have chosen the Outpatient Therapy unit of the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children as beneficiary for my project. The therapists there have been helping my brothers, my sister, and me for nearly 13 years, and I want to give back to this community. When I asked our therapists what I could give them, they all said what would be most welcomed would be books for the waiting room. AIDHC has been undergoing construction for several years now, and the unit was recently relocated. In the move, most of their waiting room books were either purged or relocated. I want to help them replace their library.

I am asking for donations to help me reach my goal of refilling their book case. I am collecting books of all kinds: infant/toddler board books, “early reader” books, and collections of short stories and chapter books for older children. I am asking if you would be able to give a donation of money or books to help me accomplish this. I would like to give our gift to DuPont by late January. While there is an outdoor playground for families, by mid-winter it will be too cold and there will be too much hospital construction going on for it to be a place they can wait for therapy sessions to finish. New books will be a welcome way to pass the time.

Thank you very much for assisting me. I have included my address below for you to send donations to. The physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapists have done so much for my family that I feel this is the perfect opportunity to show them my gratitude and pay forward their kindness.

Love,

Luke

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Celia's Timeline

"How do people keep track of thins that happen on certain days or in certain years? They make a timeline." Celia's homework this week was to create a timeline with pictures of her life.