Good morning Spartans!

I hope this message finds you doing well and having thoroughly enjoyed your weekend. I have been so impressed this past week with your ability to be resilient in the face of difficult times. Whether it is schoolwork that seems overwhelming, or situations beyond your control outside of school, you manage to keep a smile on your face, a song on your lips, and some dancing in your steps. Thank you for bringing your smile and happiness to school with you each day, even when things are difficult.

If we build a community of people that learn to value those around us, then we will be equipped to support each other even in the midst of difficult times in our lives. Thank you for being a part of that here, and for realizing that all of us will need others at some point in our lives. You make our lives better, and Mr. Sanger and I thank you for allowing us to have the privilege of being a part of yours.

Reminders:

• Grades will be pulled on Thursday, December 18. Please talk with your teachers now if there are items you need to take care of in order to demonstrate the learning that equates to increased grades. Take care of the things that are missing, or that you performed poorly on, now… don’t wait. A long break is almost here, and I encourage you to work hard up until the break so you can enjoy the time off without any worry about school.
• We will have a Holiday concert on Tuesday, December 16. The Mii Day that was scheduled for Tuesday has been moved to Wednesday, December 17.

Teacher Spotlight:

• I would like to take a moment this week to spotlight a teacher we have who works tirelessly to help her students succeed beyond high school. She provides meaningful experiences in and outside of school, and believes in the students she is charged with teaching and mentoring. Her heart and passion are admirable, and her belief in her students translates into a growth in their confidence as she never accepts less than their best. Thank you Ms. Bowden for what you do for our students, and for the positive attitude and strength you bring to our school. If you know Ms. Bowden, make sure you thank her for her dedication to the students she is charged with leading. If you do not, take a moment to thank a teacher who has challenged and inspired you to do more than you thought you were capable of.

Personal Challenge:

None of you chose the situations of your birth. You did not choose your parents, you did not choose your looks (hair color, eye color, ear size, etc.), you did not choose the wealth of the family you live with, you did not choose your race or ethnicity, you did not choose your intelligence, and yet many of those things are common reasons that teenagers pick on others in school. The color of your eyes, the color of your skin, your cultural background, the money your parents have, are all things that you have no control over. Making fun of someone for the quality of clothes they wear, how they look, or the color of their skin only shows the ignorance of the person that is doing the picking. If you were blind you would not be able to make fun of people for these things, and would judge them only based on how they treat you. Then again, if you were blind people may be making fun of you… for something you had no control over. Isn’t it ridiculous? Instead of picking on others for things that they cannot control, perhaps you should be appreciative of your fortune and work to bring joy into their lives by treating them well when others may not.

All of these things are not what define us as people. How we treat those around us is how we will be defined in the eyes of everyone around us. Not the money in our wallet, the type of car we drive, the important titles we hold, the name brand on our clothing, color of our skin, attractiveness, or intelligence. All of those things mean nothing if you treat people poorly, because no one will respect you if that is how you live your life. There may be people that are forced into your world, and don’t let on that they do not respect you because they do not want to become the focus of your attacks, but if anything ever happened to you where you were in need you would quickly come to find that you had no friends. The amazing thing about people, and the kindness in their hearts, is that most of the folk that would come to your aid would be those who have decided to be nice to you in spite of your own rudeness.

The reality is that those who treat other’s so poorly are running from something. They are attempting to compensate for a part of their being that they are embarrassed by, or a low self-esteem that requires them to derive their self-worth from how poorly they treat others. If you are friends with these people, consider whether or not you want to be known as that person. If you are that person, consider whether or not you would be happy if you knew what others really thought of you.

If you have ever found yourself the focus of someone else’s attack, you have likely wished that someone would stand up for you. Many of you have likely heard another student being picked on. What have you done in that moment? I think it is human nature to ignore it, or act like you don’t notice it. When it is a friend picking on someone else you likely feel somewhat uncomfortable, but don’t want to say anything for fear that your friends will no longer think you are cool. What is the reason that so few people step in and ask that the aggressor stop their attack? I would argue that we are afraid that person will redirect their attacks on us.

I strongly believe that there is more good in this world than bad, and that most people listening to someone that is picking on another person find it bothersome, but so many remain silent. I encourage you to stand up for your peers. In helping my sons to maneuver through this at school I remind them that nothing they have is theirs because of something they did, so they have no right to pick on other’s for not having those things. I encourage them to use a simple phrase, and would encourage each of you to do the same. Tell the person to knock it off. Imagine how good it would feel for the person that is being picked on to know that there are kind people out there who will stand up for them. My oldest son asked once what he was supposed to when the person started picking on him, and I told him to reply, “that’s fine, you can pick on me all you want, just stop picking on him(or her as the case may be)”. I’ve instructed him to then walk away as the person runs their mouth attempting to make him feel bad, but he will have done what is right and decent. I have told him that in doing so he can feel good knowing that he did what was right even though it meant he may be ridiculed for it.

My challenge to you is to do what is right even though you may be ridiculed for it. Stand up for what is decent and good. What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular. Go Spartans!

Have a week that is as awesome as each of you!

Mr. Cox
Assistant Principal
Garden Spot High School