MVPs Earn Their Coats!

I never joined a sports team, so I don’t know what it’s like to wear a snazzy new jersey [minus when I was really, really little].  And while I did receive a large, oversized sweatshirt for being a lacrosse manager in high school, it wasn’t quite the same as a shiny new shirt with my last name, or better yet, my nickname on the back with lucky number four underneath.    

I was, however, a girl scout when I was real little.  I wish I could say I did it for reasons other than the cookies.  [Tagalongs anyone?] Though if I had to choose one other part I really did love it was when you performed an act of service in the community and you received a patch. 

I.  loved.  patches.  

Patches meant I was doing something, I was going places, I was making a difference.  It also made my plain, green vest come to life and spark conversation with my fellow scouts.  “Oh, you picked up trash in the park on Earth Day too [while pointing to the embroidered recycle sign on my shoulder]??” 

Here’s the thing - I’m no fashionista but I have felt the effects of a new, or slightly used something to make me feel a little different. Be it a suit, wedding dress, or under armour gear - something comes over you and suddenly you feel ready to negotiate a big business deal, twirl around like a ballerina, or run that half-marathon you’ve been talking about doing.  Or, in Community MVPs' case, ready to smile real big or show off your funniest pose.  That’s right.  Something about a brand new, never worn, well deserved chef’s coat made them feel – giddy.  Though, I’ll let the photos speak for this one.

We recognized 8 Community MVPs for earning at least 70 hours of community service [yup, one gal had more, way more, 93 hours to be exact].  
It’s my job [and honor] to toot their horns and remind them that all those things they do, all those wonderful traits they bring to program - matter, not just to me, but to the bigger picture.

It mattered when they arrived on time to the Penn Quarter farmers market to lead a cooking demo using fresh, seasonal produce.  It mattered that they were professional at the Rooting DC conference when they taught a room full of adult’s basic knife cuts.  It mattered that they were patient and enthusiastic with young kids in DC SCORES and The Literacy Lab when making homemade pizzas and healthy breakfast options.  

This chef coat is more than cloth and a fancy logo - it’s a place.  A place MVPs have arrived as teachers, community food educators, and leaders.   A place they worked hard, really hard to get to.  A place they can choose to stay in or a place that I hope inspires them to strive for even more.

We’re all about empowering our youth to do more because we know, deep down, they can.  Now they just have a snazzy new coat to prove it.