Words cannot express the pride I feel for one of my speech students. Tonight at Family Night, she earned a scholarship for summer speech camp–a thing she loves more than anything. Instead of accepting it, she relegated herself to fundraising for her tuition and passed the scholarship on to a fellow speechie she thought deserved it more.
I have to agree.
This other young lady unexpectedly lost her duo partner two weeks ago. Instead of giving up and calling it a season, she dug deep and prepared a whole new speech. Her second performance with this new speech just happened to be subsections. And she just happened to earn Fourth Place and will be moving on to Sections next weekend.
Never once has this young lady complained about her situation or said anything negative or hurtful about her duo partner. She’s stronger than that. Better than that. Digging deep is what she does. Luckily for those blessed enough to be around her, she taps right into her heart of gold.
Both these young ladies dug deep, and both are coming out winners.
Sometimes people ask why I write for kids. The answer is easy. I love them. I love all their quirks and whimsy. I love their intelligence and dedication. I love their ability to live in a grown up world while still occupying that magical realm of childhood. They amaze me each and every day, and they never fail to remind me that life is so much more than what you see on the surface.
Breanna and Lexi, you rock my socks off. All forty-four of my speechies, you rock my world. Because of you, I am a better person.
What have you learned from a kid in your life? If you work with them on any level, why do you do so? How do they inspire you to dig deeper within yourself?
Curious minds want to know.
Words from the Woods 
What a wonderful job you have in empowering these kids to present the best of themselves!
Oh, I don’t know that I can take any credit for that. These kids are just plain awesome!
It is so easy to dismiss the current generation as lacking the class and ability to handle their problems like the example you share. Bravo to that student and the one who eschewed her award for favor of her classmate. You are certainly very proud.
Joe,
Thanks for commenting on the wonderfulness of our kids now-a-days. We can certainly learn something from them every now and again.
Hugs~