If you want to be better today than you were yesterday...

If you want to be better today than you were yesterday...

Walking through the quiet school today, I noticed a quote our MS students at Graettinger-Terril Community School District put up for others to see. It reads, "Judging a person doesn't define who they are; it defines who you are." ~Unknown

When I read that, it reminded me of our Every 15 Minute program from the spring of 2012...It reminded me of the day we lost Uncle Joe Kliegl to a massive heart attack...It reminded me that life is too short to allow the darkness to overshadow and smother the light...It reminded me that we choose who we are...It reminded me that I define myself, and that what others say is more about them than it is about me or you or the next person...It reminded me that I can make a difference, and that our students ARE making a difference. Finally, it reminded me of ALL the people who came together and worked very, very hard to positively impact our young people's lives.

I remember that day and especially what our actors and their parents went through: Mitch Girres, Baylee Marie Clayton, Maisey Ryanne Matthews, Morgan Matthews, Blaze Alesch -- Thank you, by the way, your commitment to that program had a very large impact on so many people.

After my previous post about the Facebook Defamation Case involving a 7th grade boy and his parents, I have renewed my commitment to making a positive difference (and not running from the negative presence, whether online or in person). I want to in advance thank those who are with me. Our kids are our future, after all. Remember, our days are numbered...

I felt I had to post again today because of the Verse that was waiting for me on my phone this morning -- I wanted to share it with YOU: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

Image Credit: http://www.nd.edu/

We have but only One qualified to judge any one of us. Imagine the world if we tried a little harder to walk in someone else's shoes, tried a little harder to ice [silence] our tongues which are burning insult and assumption, tried a little harder to bring light and shed warmth instead of turning away and offering cold shoulders. Simply trying, I am convinced, would be a good start.

"When you don't get the chance to say goodbye," what type of legacy do you want to leave behind? What type of leader, role model, parent, friend, colleague, etc. do you want to be? And finally -- Remember: You don't have to let the condescending voice of gossip define who you are or who your children are. That is up to you and only you. We ALL have room for improvement; that's all that needs to be said.

Daniel Pink, author of "Drive," says that the most successful people ask two things before going to sleep each night. I did this without fail before cancer knocked me down...and then, unfortunately, I lost focus and it got lost in the shuffle.

Cancer and all that accompanies it LOST; I plan to begin again -- these questions will "DRIVE" me:

1) How have I made a difference...How am I better today than I was yesterday?

AND 2) What's my sentence, my legacy?

How about you?

Thanks for reading and stay warm!

As a Team, We Unite!

First, I want to thank our student body for our respectful behavior while Mr. Samuel Marder was speaking yesterday. I gave you one job and that was to listen with all of your attention on the speaker. Most of you received an A+ - - - Thank you for being engaged, asking questions, and also for starting the standing ovation! Thank you for making everyone proud. You represented us well.

As a team, we unite.

What does your team stand for? 

Image Credit: http://graphicsheat.com/

When I speak of team, I include all of you - from the 8th grade team, the band, the FFA, the Student Council, the staff team to our athletic teams, etc. 

What does your team stand for?

What behaviors and actions can you guarantee within your team?Are they the right ones? Are they ones that will lead your group to success? Are those behaviors and actions ones that build PRIDE, TRADITION, and a POSITIVE REPUTATION for your team? What behaviors and actions can you guarantee within your team? 

Are you committed to your team?
Do you commit yourself in word and in action to the principles and values at the core of your team? Are you committed to your team?

Regardless of whether or not you understand the core values of the many teams you are a part of, you are all a part of one large team, the G-T/R-A TITAN TEAM. And this team has a few key core values.

As Titans this year, we have been asked to focus ourselves on being positive by being solution-oriented problem-solvers and efficient communicators - Each of us was challenged by Will Bowen, founder of "A Complaint Free World" and International Bestselling Author, to be #complaintfree for 21 days (for starters). The G-T/R-A staff are all taking strides to be complaint-free. We have yet to see a large number of students take on the challenge, but I'm very happy to know that a small number of you have accepted the challenge. Imagine the success that will follow from a positive outlook and a constructive way to deal with negativity and problems!

In addition to our complaint-free challenge, we received an additional challenge from Mr. Samuel Marder, Holocaust survivor, and that includes the following:

• Don’t judge others on what they look like, where they come from, who they are, etc …
• Get to a state of mind to where you treat others with kindness and as your own brothers & sisters. 
• Live a life of kindness. 
• Use your power to make the world around you better.

Please remember what Mr. Marder said:

“We are all responsible for each other.
Prejudice is much more dangerous today than it was then.
Kindness will set you free.
THE ONLY SOLUTION IS KINDNESS.”

As a team, we have a responsibility to one another, regardless of the type of team - 

• to take our grumblings to the source, instead of spewing negativity all around you.
• when you have a complaint, bring with it a solution.
• when you communicate, do so respectfully and in kindness.
• be less judgemental and more accepting, after all, not one of us in this room is perfect.
• as Mr. Marder said, don’t judge others at all.
• take pride in yourself and in others, and make your team, your school, and the world a better place.

Sometimes it doesn’t feel like we have much in common with others, other students, other teams or organizations, etc.,
         ....but indeed we do.
   We are one team.

As a team - G-T/R-A Titans - We unite!

                 And when we UNITE, we WIN!

Go TITANS!