What sculpture is to a block of marble...

What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.

--- Joseph Addison ---

Oh, SPOP! Well, tomorrow is a big reunion weekend for the Student Parent Orientation Program at UC Irvine.  Staffers (volunteers) from 1991-1995 are coming back to the area to get together, reminisce, and reunite.  Although I won't be able to be there in person, I'm dedicating this post to the amazing impact that this program (and more importantly the people) has had on my life.  This particular quote was the theme for the 1995 (Navy blue) year, and was a pivotal year in my life, where I met and got to know better some of the most influential and important people in my life.  It was an experience that was 'magical' :)  The staff generally consists of about 100 unpaid volunteers who work throughout the summer to welcome students and parents to the UC Irvine campus.  These volunteers are lead by 5 student coordinators who hire, train, and advise the staff, and plan all elements of the program.  It's a phenomenal program because everyone is allowed to be whomever they are - as all aspects of individuals in the group are celebrated and appreciated.  There is an unconditional love and respect that is rarely seen in groups that size.  I know I've written about SPOP before, and each time it brings me back to the songs, the memories, and the feelings I had that helped me to become who I am today.  Thank you SPOP!  You rock!

The purpose of education...

The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

--- Malcolm Forbes ---

This quote is from the maroon year.  That's right, the classic 1996 Maroon year, when Sunny, Jeff, Juan, GiGi, and Craig selected 100 amazing people to embark on a journey they'd never forget.  Because of all the SPOP love in the air lately, memories floating around, friendships rekindled, and warm fuzziness welling up, I wanted to share a quote from a program that had such an immense impact on my life.  Thanks for keeping the magic alive -- to all past, present, and future staffers!

To IMAGINE is everything...

To know is nothing at all, to imagine is everything.

--- Anatole France Thibault ---

This was the first SPOP quote that I encountered as a staffer at UCI (forest green year).  It set the tone for our spring training and subsequent work in the summer.  Seeing the quote printed on every piece of material, wearing t-shirts with the quote on the back, and hearing it spoken by the coordinators of the program became a tradition to me that ingrained the power of words and understanding.  I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on imagination as a creativity-lover and one who practices 'dreaming' up new ideas.  Coming back to this quote, with a number of years more experience :), and a different understanding of how things work in the world, it is wonderful to see how some of the pieces of our lives in the past fit perfectly together.  I love this quote for what it meant to me back then, and what it now reminds me to see as an educator and life-long learner.

Minds are like parachutes...

Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open. 
--- Thomas R. Dewar

I first saw this quote at the Student Parent Orientation Program (SPOP) at UC Irvine that I attended as a freshman, it was the theme for that year.  At the time, I had no idea what I was doing and just signed up for orientation because I thought I might learn something about the college.  Little did I know that participation in this orientation program would be a driving force throughout my college experience and have a huge influence on my later career decisions.  The quote itself reminds me to keep an open mind at all times and know that some of the best things we learn in life often come from unexpected places.  The only way to get to those unexpected places is with an open mind.  Be open to new possibilities today!