Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. Since my last blog post, we have encountered the end of the school year, high school graduations, and Memorial Day. Whew! And now, with June firmly on the calendar, a few college graduations remain on the horizon. Please think happy thoughts for two of my children who just flew to New York on a mission trip. Whatever your family is doing this weekend, I hope you will have fun and relax.
Quote of the Week: “You cannot dream of becoming something you do not know about. You have to learn to dream big. Education exposes you to what the world has to offer, to the possibilities open to you.” –U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Song of the Week: I came across this song when my son, Jacob, was in his Kidz Bop phase. “High Hopes,” by Panic! at the Disco, talks about having a vision of where you want to go but not knowing quite how to get there. The most important thing is to keep going and not let people try to talk you out of it. Until recently I had only heard the Kidz Bop version, but I also like the original. It’s a catchy song that can get stuck in your brain, if you let it.
Joke of the Week: What do you get when you complete science class? A graduated cylinder.
Nugget of Wisdom of the week: Students who graduate from high school and college are rewarded with a great feeling of accomplishment. High school graduates can look forward to having the summer to do a few fun things before starting college or technical school in the fall. College graduates may find it a bit daunting to get a job in their field of study. Don’t worry; you’ve got this. Please remember that if you get a job in your field of study and it doesn’t work out, it is okay to try again. For example, our oldest son went to college to study audiology (specifically, how the ear works). He loved the technical aspects of the inner ear and how hearing aids bridge the hearing gap. He was hired as a hearing aid technician—a job he loved—but the office manager slowly piled on him so many other duties that eventually he hardly ever did the job that he loved and was hired to do. Finally, after almost a year of trying to do more work than humanly possible and covering assignments not in his wheelhouse, he quit. At first he felt like a failure, but then he realized that no matter who they had hired for that position, the workload was just too much.
Getting a job to support yourself is almost guaranteed to be a little stressful, because it is unknown. There is a fine line, however, between giving up because you are required to do work versus giving it all you have and not being able to accomplish the job. Life is a journey, not a destination, so don’t be afraid to course-correct when necessary.
Shout Out of the Week: This week, I want to shout out to all of the people working at summer learning camp (SLC), the name for summer school here in Knoxville. Teachers, secretaries, principals, and other staff members are working to give students a little extra help, so they don’t lose skills over the summer. This is my second summer working at SLC, and I am really enjoying getting to know the students better in a smaller setting. To educators who are working this summer, you are the bomb. Thank you for loving these students.
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.
Marion, thank you for sharing your excitement and insights. I like your breezy writing style. I like your encouragement and awareness of the challenges faced and the opportunities for growth.