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JFHMS's Kim Fawley Volunteers at White House

Mrs. Kim Fawley with her invitation to visit the White House

Few can speak of the view through a White House window as the President of the United States lifts off in Marine One. Fewer yet can describe what it is like to sit at the front of the First Lady's press conference then be featured in a CNN video clip along with her. And how many people get to sit the White House theater seat or see its bowling alley? Civics lessons about the Executive Branch for 7th graders in Mrs. Kim Fawley's classes at J. Frank Hillyard Middle School just got a whole lot more interesting, because Mrs. Fawley has done all this and more.

Mrs. Fawley recently returned from Washington where she spent six days experiencing what it is like to be a part of the elaborate and intricately-detailed process of decorating the White House. She joined a group of nearly 100 volunteers from around the US who were selected to participate. But not everyone managed to walk away with all the experiences Mrs. Fawley had during her time there. Her adventure, which began as a not-so-simple quest to be selected to volunteer, turned into a series of terrific events that "just kept getting better and better," she described.

"One of our Civics SOLs (Virginia Standards of Learning) deals with the concepts of rights, duties, and responsibilities and volunteering is a responsibility. I want my students to understand that they should identify something they are passionate about and find ways to volunteer," she offered as one of the primary reasons she chose to pursue this experience. Mrs. Fawley added that it would serve as a unique opportunity for her to lead by example and at the same time be able to share first-hand experiences about the White House with her students.

A fan of the HGTV channel and especially its annual White House Christmas special, Mrs. Fawley began her quest more than three years ago by watching the television special and carefully noting contact information and other details, then writing letters to the White House to request to participate. The first year, her letter arrived too late to be considered. The Bush administration filled its spots during the next two years with military members then Texas residents and Bush family friends. This past year, she stepped up her letter writing and sent a request every six to eight weeks on the school's stationery describing her role as a Civics teacher and the value the experience would bring to her classroom. Finally, among the thousands and thousands of hopeful participants, her admitted "dream of a lifetime" came true. And her letter was so persuasive that she eventually managed to obtain invitations for two of her friends as well, Annette Pierce and Judy Didawick, both retired J. Frank Hillyard Middle School teachers.

CNN, People, HGTV, and Oprah Winfrey's studios interviewed Hillyard 7th Grade Civics teacher, Kim Fawley, during her volunteer experience at the White House.
Click to view this CNN video clip that includes the First Lady as she describes this year's White House decorations with clips from Mrs. Fawley's interviews with the press from the Blue Room on 12.02.09.

For the first few days, volunteers worked at an off-site location where they prepared wreaths, garlands, and other greenery at the direction of florists. She noted that all products arriving by truck with a White House or Capitol destination must be cleared through these various centers where the boxes are examined in many ways, including by bomb-sniffing dogs. Volunteers spent the next two days on the State Floor at the White House.

Since the White House is a living museum, there were strict rules governing the decorating process and the volunteers' actions while there. Anything living to be placed against the wall had to be buffered by fabric to protect the walls. Staff politely instructed volunteers to neither touch, nor sit on the furniture in the various rooms they worked.

The President's and First Family's movements around the White House were carefully orchestrated, she witnessed. On one occasion, staffers asked her to wait at the top of a stairway that had been secured until the President could move past on his way to another location in "The House" as she learned it to be called by staff. Yet, she did notice the two Obama daughters and their grandmother scampering quickly by one doorway as they had been peeking at the decorations as volunteers prepared the rooms. And through a window one evening, she had an amazing view of the President's leaving the White House grounds in his helicopter, Marine One. And of course, Bo, the Obama's Portuguese Water Dog, also made his way in to visit the volunteers.

In her recent lessons about the Executive Branch, Mrs. Fawley passes along to her students these many interesting details from her experience. She describes the staff as exceptionally friendly and she quickly learned that many times, staff members were happy to oblige simple requests when asked. And these special experiences brought more to share in her classroom.

Security was quite tight and decorating volunteers were naturally escorted everywhere they needed to go. "Is there really a bowling alley here?" she asked while chatting with a White House employee who escorted her down a hallway. Shortly after, she had her answer. A single lane with mirrors on both sides, bowling balls at the ready, and the Presidential Seal at the end of the lane sat in front of her.

During an evening reception for the volunteers, coats were stored in the White House theater. As they were leaving the reception, she explained to a Marine on duty that her students would be quite interested in this room. After everyone exited, he escorted her there to get her coat and even permitted a rare picture.

Mrs. Fawley decorated the huge Blue Room tree on Monday. As good fortune would have it, HGTV pegged Mrs. Fawley and Mrs. Didawick to do an interview with network host and designer, Genevieve Gorder, to answer questions about being a volunteer for this annual event (episode to air Sunday, December 20.)

Mrs. Fawley is quoted in this People article.

Original plans for the volunteers scheduled them to work two days, Monday and Tuesday, in the White House. Yet, at the end of Monday's work session, White House staff told volunteers they had been so productive that there was not enough work remaining to warrant their coming back on Tuesday to help. Disappointed to be departing ahead of schedule, the volunteers left. But Mrs. Fawley's experience as a Civics teacher and her objectives for being there were compelling enough to draw the attention of Oprah's Harpo Studios who requested to interview her on Tuesday (to air Sunday, December 13 at 10 PM. Note: She did appear! While decorating a tree, she spoke of the White House as the "people's house," unique in that it allows public visitors.) And, if not enough, the White House Social Secretary asked Mrs. Fawley to return an extra day on Wednesday for yet another once-in-a-lifetime experience that she will tell her students about for years - sitting at the front of Michelle Obama's press conference to unveil the White House decorations and 2009 theme, "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew." Following the press conference, CNN, People, and other media outlets there to cover the event interviewed the Hillyard Civics teacher. CNN included video clips of Mrs. Fawley in their coverage.

"I had an opportunity to see and do things that most will never have the chance to experience," Mrs. Fawley added. "But it's mostly important for my students to understand how many huge tasks in our country rely on volunteers to make them happen. And that it takes normal, everyday people to do them." And clearly extraordinary things can happen to everyday people.

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Enjoy more of Mrs. Fawley's White House pictures with descriptions: Page 1 | Page 2