School is Starting Again – 4 Tips for a Productive Year

Time to look ahead as the start of the 2021-2022 school year nears.

As you prepare for the upcoming school year, remember the words of teacher Jaime Escalante, whose experience was the subject of the 1988 movie ‘Stand and Deliver’: “We are all concerned about the future of American education. But as I tell my students, you do not enter the future — you create the future. The future is created through hard work.”

Please become a role model for other students, letting them know the importance of getting to school and to classes on time, and waiting for school dismissal before leaving for the day. You must realize this is the beginning of something better in life for you, your family, and your friends. Education is the key to success, and the more you are engaged in school and extracurricular activities, the better person you will become.

Top four tips for a productive and meaningful school year:

• Your obligation to your family, your city, and your school is to attend school each day and learn as much as you can. This can be easily accomplished by attending all classes, paying attention to your instructors, and completing all assignments.

• You owe it to yourself to respect each person you meet as you would expect them to respect you.  “Thank you,” “I’m sorry,” “Have a nice day,” “May I help you?” “Please,” and “I understand” are words that are more powerful than “Why?” and “How come?”

• Greeting others with a smile and making the most of each day, will inspire others to do the same. We all experience bad moods from time to time, but make it the exception. Negative behavior draws negative behavior.

• Attending school is a journey, not a destination; so know that if you dream of a good job, great benefits, and a prosperous future, it begins with a good foundation. Make sure you dream of your destination as you take this journey.