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 “Watch this,” I said to Elizabeth, cutting open a box from Barnes & Noble. “It’s 11:55. By 12:10, I bet you every one of these books will be gone.” I held up a copy of the fifth and final book in the Percy Jackson series, The Last Olympianby Rick Riordan. At 11:59 Jonathan poked his head in the office. “Did you get the book ye—OH WOW! IT’S HERE!” He pressed the book against his chest and struggled not to hyperventilate. His joyous shouts alerted other students: they converged on the office, mouths and hands open, anxious to devour the new books. By the time Jonathan had himself under control, all seven copies ofThe Last Olympian were loaned out. But the box held other books to satisfy the reading sharks, such as the latest in the Ranger’s Apprentice series and historical fiction novels by Carolyn Meyer. These reading-feeding frenzies rank as some of the most satisfying experiences in my educational life. So when I spent this week grumbling about the process involved in writing up narratives for the Gates and Early College budgets, it was helpful to remember the rewards generated by each of these. Start-up funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for example, gave us the capacity to purchase the latest books for students as well as texts we call “fire-starters” --books that capture the interest of even the most reluctant readers. Just this week, both budgets offered opportunities for collaboration, professional development, and future relationships.

The Gates Budget:

• On Thursday, Meredith, Lindsey, Liz, Stephanie and Matt flew to Ohio to observe how another Early College school (Dayton Early College Academy) supports, engages and instructs their high school students. QSI Teachers will observe the school’s famous “Gateway” presentations by students. They will also visit classrooms and meet faculty.
• During monthly college-school planning meetings, we envision the future academic program of QSI. When college staff and faculty gather to work with us, it’s rewarding to have the funds to feed them. On Tuesday, Steve Schwarz, Mark Miksic, Lourdes M. Rivera, Elizabeth Ophals, and Claudette Tableman found time, even in the middle of May madness, to attend the planning meeting and examine/discuss a draft of the Early College budget. They also helped plan QSI college courses for the fall semester.

The Early College Budget:

• The Early College budget enables our important College Immersion experience. Not only does the Immersion program allow our middle school students to experience college work and life, but it also allows us to develop significant relationships with professors. This week, as Art Education Professor Rikki Asher dedicated “The Life of the Mind Mural,” an extraordinary work of art created in her mural painting course and now hanging in the main lobby of Kiely Hall, I thought of her work with QSI students during Immersion: one year they created books to exchange with students in India. Another year they assembled a stunning “Peace Quilt” now hanging in QSI’s Main Office. (We will formally dedicate the quilt at our next school birthday celebration on 9-11-09). This year, Rikki will help QSI students learn about art and artists through visits to the QC art museum. Students will study the exhibition and draw self-portraits in response.
• This budget also allows us to hire professors to teach the new college courses we hope to offer in the fall, including Drama, Art, Spanish 112 and Math 115.

Still, it was Jonathan’s last question, shouted as I was rushing out to attend a meeting, that really made the budgets come alive: “Dr. Schaefer, when is The Sorceress coming out?” “May 26,” I called over my shoulder. “And we pre-ordered six copies.”