​The final (Zoom) installment of the Youth Council’s was about time management. In other words, how do they manage the most precious resource they’ll ever have?

To start, I asked them to do a list of 10 tasks in eight minutes- find out the first weather satellite, or do 10 jumping jacks, or even find and share the link to their favorite recipe. Anna won, doing all of the tasks- but the other two weren’t that far behind. They all prioritized the tasks differently, picking stuff that was quickest or easiest for them.
Next, I had them think about how a highly successful person (Ahmad Woodard brought up Michael Jordan) spends a day-think a 1998 playoffs game, Bulls against the Utah Jazz. We came up with a likely schedule of his day together. When did he get up (5am)? Practice (6am-time of game)? Or press conference (10 minutes)? We deduced that someone as busy as he was wouldn’t have much time for social media or niceties-his focus was on the game.

Finally, we each made a pie chart of our regular day, examined what we had to do, and determined if each action in that day built towards the future that we wanted. During this exercise, Mark and Anna mentioned the time other mentors gave to them, too.

I’m glad that they chose to spend time with me. Plus, they’ve helped me learn so much about my own priorities these past few weeks. The kids will be alright. 

There are lots of ways to interpret the meaning of decay.
​
It can mean the process of something being ruined, or the thing itself being ruined. It can indicate a decline in standards, of faculties. It can be eye catching, and beautiful only as an accident, not end goal.

This piece, by Titus Kaphar, mummifies a vague approximation of our Founding Fathers, their identities and secrets wrapped up tight. Since they're blind to the world around them, they stumble forward, playing a part while falling apart.