It is nearly unfathomable for me to believe that this fall marks the start of my 10th academic year with Simon Youth Foundation (SYF).
I am humbled, amazed, and proud daily by the life-changing outcomes that our stakeholders, donors, staff, and students accomplish. The figurative eve of SYF’s 20,000th graduate creates an opportunity for me to reflect on my role, SYF’s work, and what is yet to come.
Because of the Foundation’s work, I am often asked about what I think about the current state of education in the U.S. The question can sometimes hit me as rhetorical, or even comical. I can usually tell that the inquiry is a casual follow up to learning about my role, and not one seeking my dissertation on the ills of modern society. In these instances, I am exceedingly cautious and carefully parse my words. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I often have strong opinions – often contrarian to the norm and they usually leave me feeling like the little boy in the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes.
What I do offer as an answer is not as much what is wrong with today’s education system, but rather examples of what I know is working. My sentences are full of phrases like “dedicated teachers,” “communities focused on positive social outcomes for students,” and “sustainable programs with the longevity of leadership.” After all, I spent most of my professional academic career in a university dedicated to social justice, equal access and rooted in the principals of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s new deal and international citizenry. As a young professional, my socialization came from long-serving and loyal faculty colleagues who focused on the arc of history and change; not the immediate fix, newest fad or the current version of a whole language or new math schooled me.
Recently, I had to confront that last belief about the longevity of leadership.
I have the great pleasure to enjoy the professional relationships that I am fortunate to build with superintendents and teachers in our partner school districts. Most of these relationships date back to the start of my tenure or when the partnership with their district began. Recently though, I have become increasingly concerned about the amount of churn SYF experiences within the leadership of public K-12 education, and some of the same turnover within our partner academies.
This year, SYF has experienced nearly 33% change in the leadership of our public school partner superintendents and Academy principals or lead teachers. Because the average term of service for a public school superintendent in the U.S. is about three years, I am not always surprised by those changes. The superintendent role has become a highly political, if not volatile, position for someone who entered the education field to be a classroom teacher.
However, on a more personal front, I am starting to see many of our best partner teachers “move on” from their relationship with SYF. While they are not retiring, they are seeking new positions within the field of education.
This trend has made me quite sad, frankly. It is not only a loss for me but a loss for our students, who lose out on learning from these outstanding and irreplaceable educators.
And as life has a way of jerking you back into reality, I was recently at the summer graduation of one of our Academies, and the graduation address was being delivered by one of these Academy leaders. Janice Cook, SYF’s 2018 Administrator of the Year, had a wonderful opportunity within her district to receive a promotion and begin an entirely new adventure within the district as it’s first-ever Director of School Culture. This promotion is quite a compliment to Janice and the work she has done for the students, teachers, and community served by the Simon Youth Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee.
What follows is Janice’s remarks to the graduates that night, but if you read closely, you might also hear the message I, too, received loud and clear!
“Sometimes the curve is our own making…”
“Good evening, everyone. I am honored to have this opportunity to share in this great occasion. I must admit that before Mrs. Garrett invited me to speak, I was feeling a little sad that I would not get to celebrate with you, my last Paul Kelley Academy graduating class and district seniors.
As I prepared for this speech, I researched lots of inspiring quotes and funny anecdotes on which I could base my message. Although there was a vast selection out there, none of them said what I wanted to say to you. Why could I not find the right words to inspire you, to send you out from here with confidence and hope? Then I realized: I was trying to take something that someone else had said and make it fit into my message for you. That never works. Each of us has our own words, our unique way of communicating, and our own story to tell.
I have been blessed by the life stories I have learned from many of you.
We sit here tonight, surrounded by family and friends, feeling the elation of the moment. In an hour, you will leave this place with that piece of paper you have worked so hard to obtain. But once you walk out that door, one thing is for sure – your life is not going to be predictable. You will have your high school diploma, but are you prepared to handle the unpredictability of your life journey?
I came to Kelley Academy as the principal three years ago. I told the staff that I was planning to stay as principal until I retired. I loved the partnership that the school has with Simon Youth Foundation, offering students the opportunity of a second chance. I loved watching hope being rekindled in the lives of students, and l loved watching staff support students in a way that each of them knew they were cared for. Being principal of Kelley Academy is a truly amazing job.
I believed I had my life all planned out. Many times, we believe we have our life journey all planned out, and something puts a curve in the road. I was offered an opportunity that put a curve in my road, and so I moved on to be the Director of Culture for Knox County Schools. Sometimes the curve is of our own making, and sometimes it is a curveball thrown at us.
In your life, how you handle the opportunities, surprises, and disappointments you face define who you are.
I am Scottish. When I was 26 years old and pregnant with our first child, my husband was invited to be the pastor of a church here in the Knoxville.
That was not in my plan for my life.
This was not a curveball I was expecting. I was teaching at a local high school, had just bought a new car and a new house, and we got the call. The result was, four months later, we packed up and left family and friends to move to this country of strangers. We gave the church the stipulation we would only commit to staying 5 years – that was 32 years ago.
You may or may not know, Scotland is the origins of the famous sport golf.
Golf is a strange kind of game. You hit a little ball around a course, trying to hit it into a small hole 18 times. Each of the holes provides another opportunity to meet your goal. I come from an area in Scotland that was on the ocean with a famous golf course and beautiful scenery.
What on earth does this have to do with graduation, I hear you ask?
Well, as strange as it may seem, golf is a reflection of life. You set out on a journey with you being in charge of every stroke. Unlike other sports, no one is throwing, kicking or hitting the ball to you. It is just you and how you play it. After you hit the first ball and it lands, you have to play the next stroke from where the ball lies. Sometimes it lands on the fairway or the green, and your next stroke is easy. But sometimes, it lands in the rough grass, lakes, sand bunkers and it is much more difficult to take the next shot.
Whatever surroundings the ball ends up in, you have to make it work. Only you are responsible for getting out of the situation you put yourself in.
At 26, my golf ball landed in a strange country halfway around the world from any family with hardly any money and pregnant. So, I had to make the decision on how to play the next stroke. It was not always easy, but eventually, through hard work and perseverance, our little family stabilized and flourished in this new country.
When each of your golf balls landed either at Kelley Academy or in another academic program, you made the choice to take charge of your educational destiny and play it where it landed. Today as you sit and wait to walk the stage, you know it was worth it. All your hard work has paid off. You could have just as easily given up and walked away, but we are so glad you did not.
You played the shot from where you were, and eventually won the hole; which for you was your high school diploma
As I said, sometimes your ball will land on the green and your next move will be easy.
But sometimes we will find ourselves in the rough, or the situations we find ourselves in seem impossible because the ball has curved in a way we did not plan. When that happens we need to draw on the strength of our past. Successful people are not people who do not face difficult situations and adversity, but rather people who are resilient and not afraid to try. Resilience is defined as the process of bouncing back and fully recovering in the face of change and stressful situations. Being resilient doesn’t mean a person won’t experience difficulty or stress. However, resilient individuals respond to stress in ways that help them not only recover but grow and thrive.
You are a group of resilient people. You have demonstrated that you are up for the challenge. Each of you has walked a difficult road as your pathway to graduation has not been easy. Earlier I posed the rhetorical question, ‘Were you prepared for the unpredictability of the life ahead of you?’ I think you are.
You are strong people with a wonderful future in front of you. You have played your ball where it landed, and you have played it well. Congratulations Class of 2019. Walk across this stage with confidence and pride. I am so very proud of you.”
