Students Need to Take Risks


     Before the Thanksgiving break I was asked to record a message for the Giving Assembly to be broadcast school-wide later this week.
The location for the film shoot was the outdoor patio, where the Fine Arts staff had created an incredible Christmas scene (who knew that the grey exterior of the Lower School Gym could be so beautiful and sparkly). My part involved reading from prepared notes before introducing the 3rd grade students in singing the traditional Lakeview giving song, “We Can Make a Difference.”  I don’t know if it was the excitement of seeing the Christmas decorations, or the pressure of being eyed in the back of the head by twenty 3rd graders, but either way I flubbed my lines, not just once, but three times.
     For some reason, I got stuck on some very straightforward words, written in English (which I...
... understand fairly well) and kept mincing them up. When I finally got through the speech intact, the entire 3rd grade gave me a hearty cheer. My embarrassment quickly disappeared as I felt the sincerity of their applause. (I think the staff were secretly relieved that I’d finally got on with it, and they wouldn’t have to stand out in the cold for much longer.)
     Later that afternoon, I was talking with a 2nd grade student, who asked me about my day. I confessed to her about the incident with the Giving Assembly recording. She reached out, put her hand on my arm, and said in a calm but sweet voice, ‘It’s okay…it’s okay…don’t worry...making mistakes is okay…we all make mistakes.” Wise (and touching) words from a wise young lady. We all make mistakes. Making mistakes is part of the learning process. I learned that day, for example, that slowing down and not thinking about Christmas trees helps me get through a speech.
     At Lakeview, students need encouragement to take educational risks and understand that failure is a critical step along the path to growth and success. There have been many successes at Lakeview this year, including in athletics (a fantastic football, cross country, volleyball, shooting, and swimming season), in fine arts (Macabaret, virtual Candlelight), and in academics (including the Governor’s Honor’s Program, and college acceptances). Those successes came from trial and error, from hours of practice, application and dedication.
     As we finish semester one, and head into semester two, I feel confident that the resilience and hard work of Lakeview’s students, and those who support them (faculty, staff, coaches, parents, and family) will prevail. While we may not look back at 2020 with the fondest of memories, we can take pride in the fact that from the youngest to the oldest in our community, we supported one another.
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Lakeview Academy is a private, coeducational day school for students in preschool through 12th grade, located in Gainesville, GA minutes off I-985/Hwy 365.
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