In class, we always talk about the fact that everyone comes from somewhere.  It’s so easy to judge people without knowing their personal histories, so I encourage you to work toward understanding why people act the way they do.  When we analyze this in literature, we are provided some exposition, and so we can put the pieces together.  With real humans, it’s a little harder.

What happens, though, at the end of the story?  Eventually, the curtain closes on a play.  The cover of the book slams shut at some point.  The credits roll on movies.  And last night, the last episode of my favorite show, House aired.  We can make guesses on what is going to happen to characters in their “futures.”  It’s kind of futile, though, since they aren’t real people.  Most of the time, we want to imagine a positive world for our heroes and heroines, but in reality, Blanche DuBois goes to the mental hospital, and her sister Stella stays with an abusive husband.  Not everyone rides off into the sunset.

Sometimes I feel like my students are characters in their own novels.  I get to read whatever exposition they allow me to see…old report cards, stories that they share with me, parents who call me with background information.  Then I watch their stories unfold for a time that spans somewhere between a semester and four years.   And then most of the time, I have to guess about what happens to them because most of the time, I don’t find out.  I like to imagine my kids working furiously on their college English papers and inventing new technologies in their science labs. 

I guess the point is that you are at a time in life where you have plenty of exposition, and you’re heading toward what could be a very exciting rising action.  From now on, you get to create the rest of the story that comes after your time at Roosevelt.   Just make sure that when you are writing your story, it’s one that you can be proud of when you reach the denoument.  Eventually, the book has to close, and when it does, wouldn’t it be grand if the reader had a satisfied smile on his face?

Once upon a time, there was a nice little teacher marm who wanted her students to learn lots of things in her class.  Her assignments mandated high level thinking and deep analysis.

Then she had to grade it all.

She went crazy.

The end.

Yesterday, I was presented with a very thoughtful gift from the Academy Seniors.  They gave me a beautiful journal with an inspiring message in the front.  Apparently, they think that I have the makings of a book somewhere in my brain, and they’re looking forward to reading it some day. 

I am going to lay some serious honesty on you right now.  I have been struggling for years with the fact that I write on a daily basis, and yet none of it even resembles a publishable body of work.  I write because I want you to be better writers.  I write because if I didn’t, my brain would explode.  I write because I like the process. 

But I haven’t been able to write with a cohesive piece in mind. 

Yesterday, Seniors, you told me that you believe in my ability to craft something amazing, and that means so much to me.  I have been telling you for 2 years that I believe in you.  Thank you for returning the favor 26-fold.

I will see some of you on Monday.  Others, you are finished with my class, but your learning has just begun.  No matter where you will be next week, in my desks or not, please work extra hard at being the strongest person you can be.  Trust in the fact that I will be doing the same.

And be good people.

Well, Seniors from Stow, Tallmadge, and Cuyahoga Falls, this is your last day with us, and I’m glad that we are spending it in celebration mode.  You have much to cheer about right now, and I’m proud to have been your teacher.

I said to a student on Tuesday, “You might not think that you need me now, but some day, you’ll be glad that I check my email 8 times a day.”  This means you can contact me when you need me, even if it’s years from now.  Technology makes it really easy to find people, so you shouldn’t have any trouble looking me up.  Please don’t wait until it’s too late for me to help you.  Too many of my graduates say to me, “I thought about writing to you, but I just didn’t want to bother you.”  Trust me, it’s more of a bother for me to have to counsel you through the aftermath of a bad decision than it would have been if you’d found me BEFORE you made the choice. 

You won’t be bugging me.  I will be happy to hear from you.  I will always be your teacher.  I will never stop caring about your well-being.  I will not give up on you. 

I guess you are just going to have to trust me on that, just like you’ve had to for two years now.  I think I have a pretty good reliability rating, wouldn’t you say?

It’s time for you to go off and live your lives.  If you need me, you know where I’ll be.

Today is a big day.  The seniors will present their final projects, and we will all be in awe of their skills.   I know that they have put in a lot of time and effort into these projects, and they deserve to brag a little.  I will admit that I don’t know how to do any of the tasks that they are going to highlight in their speeches, so it’s all very impressive to me.  Sometimes I think that you guys forget that not everyone knows how to program a CNC machine and write code for an Awesome Cube program.  It might seem simple to you, but it certainly isn’t to me, so I have much respect for your intelligence.

It’s not always easy to talk about your accomplishments, but it’s something that you will have to get used to.  When you are engineers, you are going to have to present your work all the time.  Remember, it’s important to be professional, so be confident, but remain humble.  We are all cheering for you, so do your best, and then you can be proud of what you’ve done with your time in the Academy.

I was inspired yesterday by many people.  I heard the wise words of teachers and principals, of superintendents and students.  But sometimes it’s easy to dismiss the words and actions of the people we see every day, so I’m going to tell you the story of a person who inspired me yesterday, and he’s someone I’ve never met.

There is a man who is graduating from Columbia University this spring.  When he began working in the janitorial department of the college, he didn’t speak much English.  Because the school offered language classes, he was able to learn English in a few years.  He had to work extra hard, though, often going to class for some time, and then rushing back to do his assigned tasks for his job.  His goal was to speak the language well enough to take university level courses.  And he achieved his goal.  Not only was he able to get his degree from Columbia, but he is graduating with honors…all while continuing to work for the college so that his tuition would be discounted.

That’s called Wanting It.  He had to take years of classes before he could even step foot through the door of an undergraduate level course.  His desire to learn was so intense that nothing was going to get in his way of being educated.  Not time.  Not language.  Not money.  Not fear. 

It’s time to ask yourselves how badly you want to be educated.  How much are you willing to risk to become engineers?  Are you ready to give up some sleep?  Are you prepared to study when others are out having fun?  Will you put in as much time as it takes to be the best in your program? 

Just think about how far ahead you already are.  You speak English proficiently.  You won’t be scrubbing toilets at a full time job while you are attending classes.  You are young with lots of energy.  You have taken high level math classes. 

And yet, you are still going to have to put in a lot of hard work and many hours of concentration to get it done.  So the question is…Do you want it?

There are going to be times in your life when it is appropriate to quietly and privately celebrate your accomplishments.  This week is not one of those times.  Between the ceremony tonight and portfolio presentations tomorrow, this week is an opportunity to proclaim your success to the world.  You can still be humble about it, but people want to congratulate you for your initiative and dedication.  Remember, the best way to receive a compliment is to simply say, “Thank you.”

It’s going to be a busy week, so be ready for all that’s coming your way!  On Wednesday, you will present some of your best work in your school careers to your instructors and peers.  On Thursday, we will relax and have some fun together at the picnic.  But before that, tonight, we celebrate!

The Academy Awards

Celebrate Success

Monday, May 14, 2012

7:00 p.m.

Stow Munroe Falls High School Auditorium

Be there!

Most articles on Yahoo are a bunch of junk, but I read one yesterday that I would like to share with you.  The focus was on the idea that intelligence isn’t the only characteristic that determines a person’s worth in the world.  In fact, a “whole person” is comprised of much more than gray matter.  IQ is only one small part of what makes a person a good employee, a good spouse, a good friend, and a good member of society.

You need to start thinking about your EQ, or your emotional quotient.  You have a high EQ if you are tuned into your own emotions and the feelings of others.  You need to be able to build relationships and handle difficult situations in order to find success.  It’s time to start paying attention to the emotional cues of other people.  This is not an easy task, as it takes a lot of effort and time.

In addition to that, you must also work on developing your MQ, which is your moral quotient.  I’ve been telling my students to be good people for years, and it’s not because I don’t have anything else to say on Fridays.  It’s because you must act with integrity, compassion, and forgiveness if you want to thrive in the world.

And finally, you must consider your BQ, or your body quotient.  Your brain isn’t going to do you any good if you aren’t keeping the packaging strong.  You need to be aware of your physical weaknesses, and you must try to make yourself stronger.  This includes eating a balanced diet of nutritious food (and maybe a piece of carrot cake here and there) and exercising regularly.  If you aren’t managing your physical energy, your weight, or your strength, you aren’t fulfilling your duty to your self.  You know as well as I do that society respects fit, strong people.  The stronger you are, the better you feel.  The better you feel, the better you can help others.

So that’s it, my engineers.  I have given you the secret to success.  You just have to be smart, sympathetic, morally sound, and physically fit.  I hope you understand that this is not easy to obtain.  You must devote yourself to constantly monitoring your thoughts and actions.  But really, when you think about it, what else should you be doing with your life?  Your time on this Earth is simply about building your self.  Why would you want to skip any of these characteristics during the process?

I will see you on Monday, and I’d like to see you moving toward being whole people.  Make good choices.

And be good people.

I laughed out loud this morning when I saw these signs in the hallway:

Do You Want to Really Drive your Parents Crazy?

Live Longer.

Think Not Drinking will Ruin Your Social Status?

Try Not Breathing.

Of course these are Prom Promise signs, and they certainly demand attention.  When I thought about what the signs were actually indicating, I stopped chuckling.  Three weeks ago, we found out how painful it can be to fear the possible death of a student.  I don’t ever want to feel like that again, so please don’t make me.  

I could go on and on about how your choices this weekend could have lasting impact, but you already know that.  My reminders this morning aren’t going to define your decisions.  My hope is that the words of your parents and teachers for the last 18 years have gotten through to your brains and hearts.  Be smart, be safe, and be aware. 

That’s all I’ve got.