And, my wife, of course!
Thought some of you might enjoy it...
Thoughts from a High School Counselor (and a Mom):
It has been a busy summer preparing to open the doors once again at LA. As August approaches, instead of asking your thoughts (I do enough of that during the school year), I thought I’d take some time to share MY thoughts. I’ll continue to share weekly, on different topics, until we start school on 8/22.
This first edition of “My Thoughts” will address the next big thing on the calendar…Fall Sports. In August, high schools across the nation, both large and small, start fall athletics practice. And while it is still technically summer break and it is hot and humid, thousands of student athletes put on their pads and shoes and cleats and hit the field/court. Why, you ask? I think there are many reasons. Some do it for the shear love of sports. But many do it because they understand the lifelong benefits of being a student athlete.
Wonder if I’m going to tell you about those benefits? Of course I am! Without a doubt, students that participate in high school activities, particularly sports, reap the benefits for the rest of their lives. College Admissions professionals and future employers, time and time again, write article after article on the benefits of playing a sport. Student athletes develop strong leadership skills, work better in teams, demonstrate more confidence, and show more respect for self and others. They are persistent, attentive, organized, know how to manage their time, and are flexible. These are all skills valued by employers and college personnel.
If you are a Lawrence Academy Warrior wondering if you should show up at football or volleyball or tennis practice in a few days, pay attention. Parents, listen also, because this is a commitment on your part also, for sure! You may be saying to yourself that we don’t win as many games as we’d like or we are smaller than other schools. I get it. I do. But for 50 years, young men & women just like you walked out on the field/court with many of the same thoughts. FIFTY years! But, they persisted. As a former college admissions professional, I can say with confidence that you are rarely going to be asked by a college or future employer what your record was on your team. Instead, they are going to see that you played and ask you what you learned from the experience. They are going to see that you carried on the 50 year tradition at your school to help further the feeling of community. They are going to recognize the traits that I described above in you. They will see that you persisted.
As a mother of young boys at LA, it is particularly on my heart, as I see the importance of the tradition to our younger students. If you’ve ever attended a Friday night football game at LA, you probably noticed the ballgames going on off of the football field over on the playground. Many nights, I have watched 25-30 kids playing football and arguing over which LA player they would pretend to be. They are watching and learning. And they are eager to put on a LA uniform when they reach the appropriate age. They are proud to be a Warrior. I encourage you to also be proud and persist….for you and for them.
Stay tuned for next week’s thoughts.
Velvet Powell
Thought some of you might enjoy it...
Thoughts from a High School Counselor (and a Mom):
It has been a busy summer preparing to open the doors once again at LA. As August approaches, instead of asking your thoughts (I do enough of that during the school year), I thought I’d take some time to share MY thoughts. I’ll continue to share weekly, on different topics, until we start school on 8/22.
This first edition of “My Thoughts” will address the next big thing on the calendar…Fall Sports. In August, high schools across the nation, both large and small, start fall athletics practice. And while it is still technically summer break and it is hot and humid, thousands of student athletes put on their pads and shoes and cleats and hit the field/court. Why, you ask? I think there are many reasons. Some do it for the shear love of sports. But many do it because they understand the lifelong benefits of being a student athlete.
Wonder if I’m going to tell you about those benefits? Of course I am! Without a doubt, students that participate in high school activities, particularly sports, reap the benefits for the rest of their lives. College Admissions professionals and future employers, time and time again, write article after article on the benefits of playing a sport. Student athletes develop strong leadership skills, work better in teams, demonstrate more confidence, and show more respect for self and others. They are persistent, attentive, organized, know how to manage their time, and are flexible. These are all skills valued by employers and college personnel.
If you are a Lawrence Academy Warrior wondering if you should show up at football or volleyball or tennis practice in a few days, pay attention. Parents, listen also, because this is a commitment on your part also, for sure! You may be saying to yourself that we don’t win as many games as we’d like or we are smaller than other schools. I get it. I do. But for 50 years, young men & women just like you walked out on the field/court with many of the same thoughts. FIFTY years! But, they persisted. As a former college admissions professional, I can say with confidence that you are rarely going to be asked by a college or future employer what your record was on your team. Instead, they are going to see that you played and ask you what you learned from the experience. They are going to see that you carried on the 50 year tradition at your school to help further the feeling of community. They are going to recognize the traits that I described above in you. They will see that you persisted.
As a mother of young boys at LA, it is particularly on my heart, as I see the importance of the tradition to our younger students. If you’ve ever attended a Friday night football game at LA, you probably noticed the ballgames going on off of the football field over on the playground. Many nights, I have watched 25-30 kids playing football and arguing over which LA player they would pretend to be. They are watching and learning. And they are eager to put on a LA uniform when they reach the appropriate age. They are proud to be a Warrior. I encourage you to also be proud and persist….for you and for them.
Stay tuned for next week’s thoughts.
Velvet Powell