Lesson 50: Back to School

Anna: Hello, and welcome to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.! I am going back to school! Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit university in the United States. The Jesuits are a religious order known worldwide for their many colleges and universities. Students have been studying here since 1792!

Sarah: Hey, are you finished with your report?

Taylor: Almost. I have been writing and re-writing since last night! The subject is really interesting to me.

Sarah: Me too! I have been studying this topic* for a long time.

Anna: Am I late?

Sarah: You’re a little late. But don’t worry. The professor isn’t here yet.

Anna: How long has the class been waiting?

Taylor: We’ve only been waiting for about 10 minutes.

Anna: Oh good. Oh, no! I forgot my pencil sharpener. Excuse me, do you have a pencil sharpener I can borrow?

Taylor: No, sorry.

Anna: Oh wait. I found my extra one! Whew, that was close.

Anna: So, how long have you been studying at Georgetown?

Andrew: I’ve been studying here since 2015.

Anna: Awesome. You know, I've been wanting to go back to school for a long time. So, here I am!

Andrew: Well, you picked a great school. I’ve been really happy here.

Anna: Awesome. See, I’ve been working for several years now. So, going back to school makes me a little nervous.

Randall: Don’t be nervous. Just pay attention and do your best!

Anna: That is great advice. You know, I have been paying attention. But sometimes I still feel like I don’t understand. Like last week …

Anna: What’s that?

Jada: This is my draft.

Anna: What draft?

Jada: The professor told us to bring our drafts.

Anna: I think she said “giraffe.”

Jada: No. She didn’t.

Anna: Here comes the professor.

Dr. Jones: Hello class! Sorry I'm late, but the snow storm made getting here really difficult. I see you’ve been waiting very patiently. So, let’s get started! Who wants to give their talk first?

Anna: Oh! Oh! Please, please pick me.

Dr. Jones: Anna?

Anna: Who me? Sure. Thanks.

Anna: Here is my report on “Violins in the City.”

Anna: People have been looking for a solution to the problem of violins in the city. I say stop! Stop! They are not the problem! In fact, violins are part of the solution!

Anna: Violins create beautiful music that can fill a city with hope.

Dr. Jones: Anna …

Anna: If we put a violin in the hands of every child …

Dr. Jones: Anna! The topic is “Violence in the city.” Violence. Not violins.

Anna: Until next time …Like I was saying, many people are saying that violence in the city is a problem. A very big problem.

* topic = subject

Thanks to Georgetown University for allowing us to film on their historic campus. And a special thanks to the Georgetown students and staff who appeared in this episode: Andrew Debraggio, Sarah Mucha, Taylor Soergel, Jada Bullen, and Randall-Grace Johnson.