Love What You Do
"This ring has come to represent two facets of my life – my love of teaching and my grandmothers. As a kid my older sister, Kim, and I would often play school, being the younger sibling I was continually relegated to the role of student (much to my chagrin!). Fast forward fifteen years, okay thirty-five, and I find myself a veteran teacher. I always say it’s Kim’s fault I became a teacher, my little sister's sense of righteousness would never have allowed me to be anything else!
When I first started my career, I landed in higher education teaching English and writing in the boroughs of New York City. After a few years I returned to school for another master’s degree in secondary education. I completed the traditional student teaching right of passage in my thirties and fell absolutely in love with middle school. I was shocked…who in their right mind loves middle school?!? Me, it’s me! I ran with it and now I teach film studies at Loiederman Middle School in Aspen Hill, Maryland. I have the coolest job! I get to combine my passion for teaching with my love of movies. In my class we screen and analyze films, learn about camera shots, story elements, acting, foley, film history, in camera special effects, green screen and cgi, and editing – we learn the art of filmmaking and then, my students produce their own short films. It’s the coolest class and I am the luckiest teacher. My students create awesome shorts in the hallways and in empty classrooms with 8 year old handheld cameras, broken tripods, BIG creativity, collaborative spirits and lots of energy and excitement.
Middle schoolers are special creatures. Stuck in a magical (often fraught) space between childhood and early adulthood, they experience the world around them deeply as they try to figure out where and how they fit. As an educator, I love supporting them as they figure out who they are as artists, filmmakers and people. I lead with kindness and always choose positivity and humor. One of my classroom rules states “You must smile at least once a day,” and I mean it! I am not above tap dancing through the room or singing the daily objective in an operatic style – if it’s gonna make a kid smile, I’m there for it! My heart grows bigger every day as I see students come out of their shells, make new friends and gain confidence in themselves and their identities. I love it.
So when I look at my ring I think of my kids. The band reminds me of the interwoven pieces of a safe, supportive classroom community. The bright, reflective, faceted surface of the garnet makes me think of all the lively student personalities I’ve experienced over the years. The spark of fuchsia reminds me of the brilliant, creative young minds I am surrounded by each day. The gold and silver tones remind me of the importance of diversity in making the world a better, kinder, more open hearted space for all students, all people.
I love what I do.
As a teacher, I don’t have the largest salary and I am (usually) not able to invest in high quality, bespoke jewelry. Winning the winter drawing for this radiant garnet stone, I believe, was a gift from my Yiaiya (my Greek grandmother). She loved jewelry – the bigger and brighter the better! Her love for jewelry was only eclipsed by her verve for life. I was born in August, making my birthstone peridot, a gemstone my Yiayia did not appreciate. Instead, she unofficially changed my gem stone to garnet. Winning this gorgeous, glowing garnet stone could only have been influenced by her energy. My other grandmother, Nanny, was the first person to gift me a two toned piece – a bracelet of silver and gold (I still have it). When I look at the two tones, I think of Nanny and her feisty, kind-hearted and protective personality. She gave the best hugs and told the most engaging stories.
After experiencing the designing process with Stacey, the ring we designed was a bit out of my budget. So I traded in some old pieces of jewelry — one from each of my grandmothers and no longer my style — and used those funds towards the cost of this ring. In a roundabout way this ring is also a gift from Yiayia and Nanny, and a reminder that I am surrounded by their love always. This dazzling, surprise of a ring has come to symbolize love, gratitude and positivity."
— Chrissy M.
