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reflection on mentoring
In 250 words or less, describe the importance of a mentor.
reflection on mentoring
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Wow! 12 years of hard work, 12 years of perseverance, 12 years of dedication! A great king once said, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel." We each have mentors in our life who give us this counsel. What we choose to do with it determines if we are considered foolish or wise. Naturally, we tend to think we are always right, and even on the occasions when we are right, there is always something to learn from a second opinion.
Take just a second to think back over the last 18 years of your life. Think of all the second opinions you've received. These opinions and the people who shared them go you to this point. While you may think you got here through your own doing, think a little harder and consider those days when all you wanted to do was climb trees, play with Barbie dolls or watch "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" all day long. What changed that? Was there one day when, suddenly, in your most mature five-year-old voice you said, "Mom, Dad, I've made a decision. I want to start saving for college. Could you please put my allowance in a bank account for me?" Personally, I can say that I did not have one of those days. As diligent as you may think I am to my studies, I can say for certain that I would have loved to just play outside all day and stay up late watching movies. However, as much fun as I would have had, I would not have gotten very far. Thankfully, I had numerous people in my life who showed me, at just the right times, how to grow.
Think of your teachers, preschool through high school, who cared enough each day to come to school to a class of at least 30 kids who each had their own agenda and were able to make each child's agenda important.
Think of your friends, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents and others who have showed you how to be a good friend and how to grow in relationships, simply by being there. Think of coaches and instructors you've had who pushed you to do things you didn't want to do so that you would achieve the things you wanted to achieve.
In "Surprised By Joy," C.S. Lewis tells of a mistake that he had observed regarding joy or what he calls "thrills." Lewis realized that what he had first thought to be joy, was actually not joy at all because it began to fade away. He had assumed that he was seeking after the "thrill" itself. He says, "And there lies the deadly error. Only when your whole attention and desire are fixed on something else ... does the 'thrill' arise. It is a by-product. Its very existence presupposes that you desire not it but something other and outer."
Raoul Wallenberg, a man who saved thousands from the horrors of the Holocaust, told the story of a Rabbi and the lesson that he taught to his young learners. The Rabbi asked the young boys the following question: When is it that night turns into day? One boy offered that perhaps it was when he was on his way home from a friend's house, and he could see the sun coming up over the top of his house in the distance. The Rabbi kindly replied that no, that was not it. Another boy suggested that perhaps it was when he was in the forest, and he could see the sun coming through the tops of the trees above him. The Rabbi once again turned down the answer. And then the Rabbi gave the correct response. The point at which night turns into day is when you can look into the eyes of a perfect stranger and see your brother.
This speech is bigger than me... bigger than this graduating class... and the world surrounding us. It is an epiphany. This speech is for the little guy, the middle man and the guy who is always behind the scenes... For the past four years, we have seen stories, read newspaper articles, and have heard announcements about our star athletes, scholars and over achievers.
I would like to begin this evening by welcoming all of my classmates, staff, parents and guardians, the school board and superintendent, friends, and relatives to the commencement of the class of 2012.
I decided that I wanted to play a sport, I chose volleyball. Most of my friends played the sport so it wasn't hard for me to adjust and make new friends. Becoming a student athlete was a big adjustment for me, I could no longer float through my classes but I need to excel. And that's exactly what I did. For the first time in my high school career I made not only honor roll, but principal’s honor roll. For the first time my mom was proud of my report card, that made me even more proud. From then on I knew I wanted nothing less than what I earned, good grades and a proud family. From my decision to chose to become a student athlete not only make me work harder but, be great at everything I put my mind to. I had motivation to stay successful, to stay eligible. Three years ago if you were to ask me where I thought I would be my senior year, I probably would have told you low level classes barely making it by. Now here I am today excelling in my education preparing to take the next step in my future, college. Even if we don’t understand why we go through them, we have to be willing to let our obstacles become out
Today is our first day of being the leaders, doers, and problem solvers of the future. Those who persevere, who give it their all and approach each day with optimism will ultimately meet success and happiness. Of course, there will be many a failure on that windy road of life, but with dedication, we can do anything and make any dream come true. But, as we grow older and encounter success, we must not forget those who have had it rough, whose lives may have hit some potholes on the way, and we must take care of those who need a helping hand. As each of us leaves our mark on the world, be generous and be happy, and always remember the good times, good friends, and lessons learned at Marefat.
As a hurdler for County High, I stumble upon some pretty tough obstacles each time I race; the same is true in life. Everyone encounters obstacles, but in order to overcome them and succeed, one must never give up.
A long time ago in what seems like another lifetime, we were once little children watching the blinking TV while we sat eating Mac and Cheese without a care in the world. So much time has passed since then, how quickly time flies. Now, instead of walking to the bus for our first day of kindergarten, we are walking across this stage for our diplomas - I think everyone will agree that it's all about time.
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Sitting in the backseat of the car, I used to bombard my family with these questions. On our summer road trips I was so anxious for the destination that I failed to appreciate the journey. However, as time passed and I grew older, I realized that it was the journey that was important and not the destination.
Today completes the chapter of our lives that we have been comfortable with for the past 13 years. High school may be over, but we still have a long exciting way to go in life. From our four-year experience we will take with us the memories, good and bad, and relationships we have made with each other and the County High School staff. From these experiences we have learned and grown and will continue to do so. Growing up and moving on will be a huge part of our lives in the next few months. The decisions we will make come in-part from the choices we have already made.
Class of 2012, as we sit here this evening, I would like you to take a look at the classmates sitting around you. Many students have given countless hours of time, energy, and passion to worthy cuases that they have been a part of throughout high school. However, those aren't the only students deserving of recognition this evening. We have students here tonight, who have taken a stand for what they believe in, not even hesitating to compromise their reputations.
Valedictorian Speech Good evening fellow graduates, teachers, family members, friends, and distinguished guests. It is a tremendous honor to be the valedictorian of our graduating class. My job is to somehow be the voice of the entire graduating class, and take five minutes to say a few words on behalf of all 539 of us. Like most valedictorians, writing this speech was not an easy task for me. Not because I did not have anything to say, but because I was overwhelmed by how much I wanted to share with you all on this day. Tonight, we have one common purpose, to celebrate. We are here to congratulate, to look towards what the future holds for us, to wish each other well, and to, most importantly look back on our time spent here. So, I would like to start by saying 'well done' to my fellow graduates, who have all worked hard during the past several years to reach this milestone. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the graduating class for selecting me to speak here tonight. Ever since the news broke, many people, some who've I've never really met before, have come up to me and have wished me well. Perhaps this speech would be incomplete if I don’t say something to the teachers. On the behalf of my entire class, I would like to thank all my teachers: thank you. Thank you for teaching us, for leading us, for building us up as adults. I know that we have not given back to you the respect you deserve. I know that we have not told you how much we appreciate you taking time out of your schedules to help us. And I know that we have not said thank you for giving us a wonderful education. So, I hope that as I say thanks, you can forget our shortcomings and remember us for who we are and not from the mistakes we have made. ...
A few months ago I was sitting in the guidance center waiting for some transcripts. I was having one of those "high-stress, low-patience" days and I was just in a very bad mood. As I waited, I noticed a little book on one of the coffee tables called "What happiness is." Cynically curious, I picked up the book and fingered through it. Each page was different quote about what happiness is, and as I read each one, I started to slowly lift out of my bitter mood.
When I look back at the judgment I made it ranks as one of the greatest decisions of my life. If I could go back and relive my mistake I would do it all over again as it made me who I am today, and although I suffered through pain there is an old saying that goes “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. Overall the greatest advice I can give to anyone is that at some point in your life you will fall, but it’s not how the failure affects you it’s about getting yourself back up and determining the life you want to live not the failure determining your
Good evening parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and friends. I would like to thank you all for coming to this very special day. I know how proud you must be. As we have grown over the years, there are many stages we all have gone through. From learning our shapes and colors, to getting our first kiss in middle school, or how about explaining to our parents why we skipped school because the principal called home. As we remember these days, things that we've done will be with us forever. But this is only the start of our journey. The day has come where we say goodbye to the big yellow buses, assemblies, assigned seating, and attendance policies. Are you really gonna miss it? For some of us maybe not right away. But eventually we will so for us to be here it is not necessarily an achievement, but a privilege. All of us have been in school over half our lives. To graduate is one more step we've taken in our lives.