Each year, I craft this long and eloquent message that I intend to deliver to my students on the last day of school. Each year, either because of scheduling or lack of motivation, my end of the year message typically comes out--"Uh... yeah... so have a great summer. Bye." Heart-warming, I know.
So this year, I have decided just to jot down a few final thoughts. Not because I do not expect to see you all ever again (could I be so lucky!?), but because there are some things that I wish my middle school teachers had written down for me. Read it if you want; ignore it if you want.
Since August, we have spent anywhere from 8,100 minutes to 16,200 minutes together. How we did not end up annihilating one another is beyond me. In that amount of time, we have read as a young street rat and his gang proved to the world that they are more than just societal expectations; we have relived the horrors of 9/11 through videos and narratives; we have learned that "I" and "seen" should never be right beside each other; we have written some pretty terrible essays and learned how to express ourselves more clearly; we have campaigned ferociously for made-up political candidates and brought attention to social problems in the world; we have learned about millions of people who were killed for baseless reasons and have created personal connections with those who have died many years ago; we have confronted our own personal ignorance at times; we have learned that sarcasm can be spoken 24/7, but that sincerity is much more powerful; we have laughed with one another; we have been frustrated with one other; and we have been proud of one another.
A few things before you move on to high school:
1. Stick together--next year, you will be mixed with many unfamiliar (and some familiar) faces. It is an excellent time to create lasting relationships that will help you through high school and beyond. The people that I am closest with in my life are the friends that I made in high school. However, your classmates now are the ones who were with you during your awkward middle school years. They have watched as you have become full-blown teenagers. It is not always easy being friends with someone who is on the hormonal rollercoaster of a lifetime. If someone can be friends with you in middle school, you should keep them around for awhile.
2. Embrace a new start--if your friends kind of suck and bring you down, dump them. There are more options in high school. This may seem contradictory to what I said in #1, and that is because it is. You will not become a better person if you surround yourself with terrible people. Your friends may not understand why you are avoiding them in high school, but South is a big place. You can hide from them. Also, the teachers at South, for the most part, don't know you. Use that to your advantage. They do not know if you were the laziest person at Edison; become the hardest working high school student. The teachers do not know if you were the King/Queen Jerk of middle school. Become Mother Teresa at South. New beginnings do not happen very often in life; take full advantage of them when you can.
3. No one can take your education--people can take your money, ruin your reputation, and steal your girlfriend. People cannot take your education. Put effort into your studies. Do not blow your GPA during your first year of high school--it isn't worth it. Also, college is not for everyone. Many important and brilliant people do not have college degrees, and yet they are still contributing to society.
4. Boys and girls-- gentlemen, remember that the girl that you are playing games with is someone's sister/daughter. Treat them correctly. Do not lead them on. Make them feel like royalty. Do not be jerks. Ladies, do not let boys play you. Your worth does not come from some guy. Also, do not play games with them. They act tough; they still get hurt. All of you, protect one another from the jerks of the world. Be quick to comfort someone with a broken heart, even if you tried to warn them (over and over and over and over...) Reputations, words, and your innocence are three things that can never be taken back; treat them with care.
5. There is someone who will ALWAYS be in your corner-- I play this cynical, sarcastic character in class and that is only because I am sarcastic and cynical; but I also care for each of you. I pray for you all. I brag about you all. I tell stories about you all. Never feel like you are stuck and have no one to turn to--you do. Never feel like there is no one who supports you--I do. I may not always understand your motivations or actions, but I can see your potential to do great things.
Do good things because there are enough people in the world who are unwilling to. Do a good thing daily even if it is beyond the parameters of "being cool."
Make me proud--you have done so on many, many occasions. Transcend the expectations that others place on you. I will always be someone who is proud of you.
Stay gold,
Mr. Spivy (Spivinator, Spivvy, Spiv-dog, whatever else you call me)
