Merry Christmas

 Only three more days until Christmas and we are also on the last day of our semester today. We made it!!! One semester of face to face learning is in the books. I want to thank all of you for doing everything you could to make it possible that we could stay in school and stay healthy. I am looking forward to 2021 and hoping that we have turned the corner on the Covid virus. I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas and take time to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. This is such a special time of year and such a wonderful time to spend with family. I hope you can find time to sit by a fire, curl up with a good book or just take time to think about all the blessings in your life.

The other day I read something that I wanted to share with my readers. You may have seen this before but I thought it was a good reminder and something for us to think about over the holidays. 

Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip, had a philosophy about life that I believe is a good reminder to all of us. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name five people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.  (Can you name 3? 1?)

5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for best actor and actress...

How did you do?

The point is that none of us remember all the headliners of yesterday. These are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most! Merry Christmas to all of you. 

Winter Sport Athletes

 Well it is December 11th and we are still in school doing face to face learning. I am so proud of all our staff and students who are doing everything to stay safe and stay in school. Only seven more days and we will finish out the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. I truly want to thank each and everyone of you for working through these hard times.

Speaking of working hard. Today we celebrate our winter sport athletes. These students are working so hard to stay healthy, stay in shape, keep their grades up and have a successful season in whatever sport or event they are involved in. I am always amazed when I speak with any of these students. They get here on time every day, they leave at the end of school and head right to practice, they grab a bite to eat after practice and then work on their homework. Incredible and impressive. I want to thank each one of these students that you see in the picture for choosing Vantage as their school of choice. They realized that they can start a future career in their field of study here at Vantage and also be involved in the sport that they so love back at their home school. You may recall seeing some of these very same students in our fall sports picture. Several of these students play two or even three sports during the school year and still keep up their grades. I am very proud of all of you and I hope you continue your hard work and dedication throughout your lifetime. 

Good luck to all of you this year. To the seniors, I am sure you wish the stands could be filled with cheering spectators and all of your classmates. I myself miss going to the games and cheering you on. However, I believe we can learn something from every situation, whether good or bad. I hope you realize how strong you are and how resilient you have been the last year and a half. You have been able to adapt to many changing situations and still stand strong. I hope my readers will look at this picture closely and see these students behind the mask. If you look into the eyes of the students as I do, you will see strength, compassion and determination. There is so much hope and faith behind every mask. These are the eyes that say "I will make it, I will not be defeated and I will survive". These students will always hold a special place in my heart. They have taught me more than I could have imagined. When 2020 starts getting you down, look into the eyes and hearts of these students and smile. They are our future and they are the bright light that is just around the corner.