End of Year Spoken Word

16, 200 minutes. 16, 200 minutes.

That’s how many minutes we have shared in this room. Together.

Minutes where we became a little more than just teacher and students.

Minutes where classmate really meant co-survivors of this insane place.

Minutes of “Okay, mujeres” and “We need to have a come to Jesus talk”

Minutes of “Don’t touch him” and “If I have to tell you one more time!”

So many empty threats and suppressed laughs.

Minutes where you became my kids and I became Spivy, Spivvy, hey you

Minutes that I don’t regret.

16, 200 minutes crammed packed with new thoughts and learning.

An orphaned street kid that reminded us that societal expectations can only shackle us if we let them.

An abused boy who taught us that heroes can come in all shapes.

A group of teens that may have opened our eyes to more of life’s lessons and realities than those who we call friends

You battled hard with one another for your fictitious presidential candidates and at the end of the day could still talk to each other like humans—if only our leaders could do the same.

You wrote some pretty terrible essays as you struggled to express your universe of ideas.

You learned that poetry is so much more than rhyming words and all present alliteration.

You saw the atrocities of the world as those who simply wanted to live life and love God were massacred because it offended someone.

You faced sharks, your fear of public speaking, and a teacher who isn’t sure when he is being sarcastic or not anymore.

You struggled with who you are, what you believed, and where you fit in this mosaic of life.

16, 201 minutes.

Soon, you will no longer spend your day with me, and I won’t be here to teach you any more lessons.

Here are my last:

Embrace your chance at a new identity next year.

Surround yourself with the good of the world and not with the trash. Those who hang out with trash end up smelling like broken dreams, angry words, and bitter hearts. You are better than that.

Care for others long before they care for you.

Be the person who stops to pick someone else up and if she can’t get up, sit down with her until she is ready. 

Remember that “I” and “seen,” don’t go together, but "I think," "I can," and "I will" can change your whole life.

Guard your opportunities. Guard your words. Guard your reputation. Guard your innocence. Each is fragile and once broken, it can never be fixed again.

Protect one another from the jerks of the world, who are only looking to expand their collection of conquests.

Comfort those with a broken heart and let not “I told you so” beat “I’m here for you” in the race to your mouth.

Use your words wisely and your anger even more prudently.

Treat others better than what you think you deserve to be treated and treat yourself like you are a gift to this world.

Because this is what I know:

I know that you are important to me, even if I call you names and question your intelligence on a regular basis.

I know that I have spent 16, 202 minutes praying for you, and whether you believe there is anyone up there listening to me ceaselessly praying or not, I know that my God cherishes you.

I know that you struggle. I know that “middle school problems” can be realer than any problem that I will ever face.
I know that some of you are searching for a love in places that will never have it and for some—that place is called home.  

I know that some of you have built up walls so thick that when love is expressed, you laugh aloud and weep inside.

I know that some of you don’t feel like you’re enough. Smart enough. Pretty enough. Talented enough. Accepted enough. Loved enough. Fill in the blank enough.

And I know that as long as I am on this earth, you will have someone in your corner. You will be loved. You will be cared for. You will be enough.

And now after these 16,203 minutes, here are some words that you have heard at least 180 times:

Do good things because there are enough people in the world who are unwilling to do so.

Feed the hungry. Welcome the lonely. Better the world.  Love others.

Make me proud.

I will be proud when you transcend the expectations that society places on you.

Run back to me with news that will make me swell with pride.

And above all else, in times of darkness, do not be another person who complains about how dark it is.

Walk over and turn on the lights.

16, 204 minutes.