For one year, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) has shared the perspectives, passions and viewpoints of its students, staff and volunteers on the interactive blog, “We Are VBSchools.”

The blog, launched April 7, 2016, includes a new entry every day and has more than 365 stories to share. Each new post is also shared nightly on the VBSchools Facebook page in its We Are VBSchools photo album.

This Cooke Elementary School talent show participant was the first blog post shared. While the student waited for his turn to practice, he told a school division public relations coordinator she was “unlucky and lucky.”

“You’re unlucky because you just missed some great piano playing,” he explained. “You’re lucky because my hula hoop act is coming up. I used to be terrible at the hula hoop and now I’m much better.”

A Bayside Middle School student shared she is interested in attending a VBCPS academy and getting scholarships. “I want to make my parents very proud,” she said.

At Corporate Landing Middle School, a teacher shared why she considers herself to be “one of the luckiest people in the world.”

“I don’t think teaching is any longer my career; it’s who I am…I have the best job,” she said. “I have survived two cancers so every day is a second chance for me. I have amazing children. I have amazing grandchildren. I have a husband who has supported me all the way through everything.”

This Parkway Elementary School student always gives hugs “because it makes everyone happy! When you’re kind, you a get a lot of good things.”

A Brookwood Elementary School fifth-grader teacher shared how good things came her way when she was hired as a teacher at the school she attended as a young child. “I got the phone call from HR saying I got the job at Brookwood. I was so excited and jumping up and down.”

Jumping and being active is a priority for this Fairfield Elementary School student. “I like to be active and running around instead of being cooped up inside playing video games. Everyone stares at me like I’m crazy. But, I like being crazy outside because I get to interact with people and have fun with them rather than play with online people.”

This Salem Elementary School student expressed his appreciation for his grandmother keeping him on track. “She wants me to fulfill my dreams.”

The principal at Linkhorn Park Elementary School also wants all children to fulfill their dreams, especially the “underdogs.” “I just want everyone to see the glass half full versus half empty and believe in every child because they can do it. They can do it. They can have it. They can make it.”

A Red Mill Elementary School custodian shared a similar philosophy, noting that what motivates him “is to make a difference in somebody’s life.”

A student at College Park Elementary School wants to be a teacher who inspires others to succeed, she just wasn’t sure how to dress the part for career day. “Well, I really didn’t dress up. I just look regular because that’s what teachers do and I want to be a teacher when I grow up. I look up to my teacher and I’m always good to her, so I always think about being a teacher when I grow up.”

Supporting teachers and students daily are members of the School Plant team. Perhaps their secret to keeping our schools running so successfully is the running they do after hours. “What I like to do on the side is run. I do a lot of running. I run races. I enjoy it because it keeps me healthy and it’s just something I’ve been doing for over 20 years. I belong to a couple clubs and it’s just good social time and good events. I did a full marathon at the age of 50.”

26.2 miles and more are part of the daily commute for this VBCPS bus driver, who travels many miles each day to get students from home to school and back safely. “I love being around the kids all day…I feel like I’m driving our future.”

A Pembroke Meadows Elementary School student is preparing for his future career as an author. He is writing his life story, one page of notebook paper at a time. “I combine all those papers and just staple them…But, if I have any other life adventures, I’m going to make ‘My Life Story: Part 2.’”

A First Colonial High School junior said that her life story will involve politics, despite her equal interest in science, technology, engineering and math. “I like chemistry but honestly, it’s one of those things where I feel like I have an obligation to go into politics. I think that after everything that I’ve learned, at this point, I want to change something from here on out.”

A Brookwood Elementary School student wants to change the world, too. “We need more love in the world,” she reflected.

To see each day’s new entry, visit the We Are VBSchools blog at vbcpsblogs.com/WeAreVBSchools or the VBSchools Facebook page.