See and show how character and leadership matter today
Earlier this week Najee Harris was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. It was celebration time. After all those countless hours of working, practicing, sweating and sacrificing, Najee’s dream of playing in the NFL came true. There was one important difference between Najee and the other 255 individuals who got drafted …
Here is a simple uplifting story about humanity. First, a stranger sees a dog in the middle of a raging river, a mere inches from being swept over the falls. He trudges thru raging water, risking his own life, to save this dog. Of course, when he reaches shore, he finds it impossible to get up the steep banks. Next, …
Words from Tyler Perry’s Acceptance Speech at the 2021 Oscars: “My mother taught me to refuse hate. She taught me to refuse blanket judgment. And in this time and with all of the internet and social media and algorithms and everything that wants us to think a certain way—the 24-hour news cycle—it is my hope that all of us will …
It’s almost an unspeakable tragedy. Jayden lost his father as a young boy, then a few years later, he lost his mom. “I tried and I tried to get her awake, but I just couldn’t,” remembered Jayden. After the loss of both parents, people treated him differently. Some actually felt like they couldn’t have fun or smile with him around. …
Joe’s Perspective: On Thursday, my Uncle Bob died. He spent 30 years of his life teaching choir to middle and high school students. I’ve learned something peculiar happens when a family member dies. At least for me, I tend to just see her/him through the family role – mom, day, uncle, cousin. This was true in this case too. He …
Coach Auriemma, the head women’s basketball coach at UConn, is at it again. He just has a way of simplifying things. “If you go to class & you do average work, you get a C. That’s why it’s called average. If you want a B, you have to do more work & if you want an A you have to …
Doing the Right Thing: As the riots moved across the country in the summer of 2020, the city of Buffalo, NY was not spared. Businesses were looted and damaged. One young man, Antonio Gwynn, a senior from Hutchinson Central Technical High School, watched these riots from his bed at home. Even though it was 2 a.m., he felt compelled to …
In the sleepy little town of Manton, Michigan, Scott Chittle, watched his two elementary-aged girls settle in for the winter. In-person school was on-again, off-again. Even when it was full time, kids had to sit in assigned seats in class and at lunch, careful not to interact. The local elementary basketball season was cancelled. So, the daughters mainly sat and …
Thirty-eight states are allowing high school athletes to compete in winter sports. To help increase those numbers, a movement has spread across those remaining 12 states. This movement is called, “Let Them Play.” Over the past 14 days, athletes protested outside their individual schools in California and Maryland and at state capitals in Michigan and Illinois. This is not a …
Julia “the Hurricane” Hawkins doesn’t feel her age. Sometimes she feels 60 or 70, sometimes as young as 16. She has been active her own whole life and she was not about to quit any time soon. So, at the age of 100, she entered a masters-level world championship meet and broke the world record for Centurions (those over 100). …
