Courage

"Courage...it's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.  You rarely win but sometimes you do." -Atticus Finch

Recently, I re-read "To Kill a Mockingbird."  I know, nerd alert, right?!  Like many of you are doing right now, I read it when I was in high school.  Since it is such a classic, I wanted to read it again with a different perspective as an educator and a parent.  It was well worth the time.  There are lessons to learn about prejudice, acceptance, perseverance and courage.

The quote above is from Atticus Finch, a character in the book.  If you have read the book, you know the significance of this quote to the story.  Even if you haven't read the book yet, I think it is meaningful to think about in general.  My take on it is that sometimes the right thing to do isn't always easy, for whatever reason, but since it is the right thing to do we have an obligation to take it on.  

It takes courage to start something and see it through despite the challenges you may face.  Sometimes doing the right thing not only presents challenges but may require us to do something that is not particularly comfortable to us...that takes courage too.  At Perry Central, I see a lot of students doing courageous acts.  There are students doing things that aren't easy or that requires them step out of the comfort zone but they are doing it because they know it is right.  Friends of Rachel, Commodore Table, and the recent canned food drive are a few student led initiatives that come to mind.  Your courage can and does inspire others and because of that our wins aren't rare, like Atticus experienced, instead they are much more common.  Thank you to all of those doing courageous things!  You are making a difference.

Be Kind

Welcome back, students!  I hope you enjoyed your summer and are excited to be back.  Along with the anxiety of a new school year comes the chance to have a fresh start.  Throughout the course of the year, I hope to share some thoughts, ideas and Commodore Pride information with you through this blog.

Rachel's Challenge was such a great message to start the year off with.  We heard a story of kindness that was truly inspirational.  Rachel demonstrated how having compassion and treating others with kindness can have such a significant impact on our community.  I saw how touched our students were by this message throughout the day.  During the Friends of Rachel session, there were several brave students who shared how her story impacted them.  This group of students also came up with some really great ideas to continue building a culture of kindness at Perry Central.      

The quote from yesterday that really stood out was this: "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same.  People will never know how far a little kindness can go."

At Perry Central, we have great students and yesterday was another example of why I am so proud to be a Commodore.  As we begin another school year, I hope we all make it our mission to see just how far a little kindness can go!  

Commitment

"Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality." -Abraham Lincoln 

His speech wasn't finished until 3:30 a.m. that morning. FBI agents were stationed beside the PA system during the speech to pull the plug in case he said something they didn't like. He had received death threats, spent nights in jail, and battled racism and hatred at every turn. At a time when it would've been so easy to use his fists, he embraced the path of peace. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream and he was committed to sharing it.

Having just celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I think it is important to spend some time reflecting on what he accomplished and how he accomplished it.  He knew injustice existed in his world so he took action to fight it, organizing a movement and using just his words and powerful speaking ability.  It was not the easy way but he committed himself to that path nonetheless.  

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s  level of commitment to what he knew was right is inspiring.  It should be a lesson to us to find things we can commit ourselves to.  As a student, you can commit to giving your attention, effort and participation in class.  Completing assignments on time and doing your best show that you are committed to your education and continuing to grow.  As an athlete, being at every practice, working hard, pushing yourself and others, and being a good teammate shows that you are committed to your team.  So, whether it's academics, sports, your family or community, commit to giving your best and continuing to improve.  Even when your commitment is tested, things get hard and you experience failures, stay strong in your commitment to keep working toward your goals.  It's a great time of year, with New Year's resolutions being made, to commit yourself to learning and growing.

Commodore Pride Update

-This month, faculty and staff will be looking for students displaying commitment for our Student of the Month nominations.  

-The Dock, our Commodore Pride store, will be opening soon.  Remember that the white Commodore Cards can be turned into the office to buy grade-level points or be entered into a drawing to win an Under Armour backpack or a gift card to the movies.  

-Here are the latest standings for the grade-level competition: 
In 1st place are the Seniors with 74 points.
In 2nd place are the Juniors with 66 points. 
In 3rd place are the Freshmen with 59 points.   

Show your Commodore Pride!

Mr. Zellers

References:

Meltzer, B. (2010). Heroes for My Son. New York: Harper Collins.