I am doing what I can

The story takes place during a forest fire. The woodland animals flee the forest for a nearby stream and watch helplessly as the fire rages. A hummingbird begins to take drops of water from the stream and deposit them on the fire. Some animals say the hummingbird is wasting its time and that a tiny drop of water can’t put out such a large fire. The hummingbird, however, continues to relay water to the fire and replies “I am doing what I can.”

I emphasized with students that the story reminds us of our obligation to help others and to help ourselves. Over the next few weeks, students have the opportunity to participate in the Terry Fox fundraiser and our community service program. All students have the capacity to participate in some way in these events and programs. Doing so is an important part of the process of self-discovery, which is an important goal for all of our students.

High school is a time where you challenge yourself to find out what you are capable of. In many instances, we are capable of more than we think. Many of our students returning from their recent fall OE experiences made this realization.

I reminded students that doing all they can is also an important way to approach learning. Before asking teachers for help or relying on support from tutors, students should ask themselves “am I giving my all?” Teachers and staff are here to support them, but we are also here to challenge students to discover their best selves.