From a young age my parents taught me something important about importance.
It is important to get good grades. It is important to get involved in school. It is important to play a sport or join a club.
But it is more important to be a good person towards others.
A kind person that is. A person who puts others first. A person who is slow to anger. A person who loves deeply.
So when I came home upset about my first standardized test score my parents were quick to remind me of what is really important.
“Avery, it is more important that you’re kind to others than what you scored on a standardized test.”
That struck me.
What matters most is that I am a kind person to others, not that I score well on a terranova test.
What matters most is that I am a person that puts others first, not that I am the all star on the volleyball team.
What matters most is that I am a person who loves deeply, not that I am the person who is the most involved inside my school.
While academics and activities are important in growing, they are not the most important thing contributing to my growth as a person.
I was so blessed to grow up in a family and attend a grade school and high school that recognized this.
The education I received at my grade school, Saint Brigid, and high school, Bishop Watterson, absolutely set me up for academic success, but what I learned outside the classroom at Saint Brigid and Watterson did so much more for me in the long run.
I learned outside of the classroom within my Saint Brigid and Watterson community and inside my home.
I learned what matters most.
I learned that having exceeding the standard on my report is good, but serving others is great.
I learned how to make presentations, but I also learned how to make lifelong friendships.
I learned how to speak eloquently, but I also learned that “people will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
One of my biggest mentors at Saint Brigid is Vice Principal, Cindy Lombardo. Well, she still is a mentor to this day, and that is saying a lot because I am a junior in college now.
I asked Cindy a few questions about learning outside the classroom. Here’s what she has to say:
What advice do you have for people my age?
If your goal is to have a happy and fulfilled life, put others first. I have always loved the saying, “The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third.” This sounds easy, but it is the last thing that our culture supports right now. Our culture, probably in a huge part due to social media, pushes us to focus primarily on ourselves – how many likes do I have, how many followers do I have, how many views do I have. The happiest people I have met throughout my entire life are those who put God first, others second, and themselves last.
What are some of the best ways to learn valuable life experiences outside of the classroom?
Life is always waiting to teach us something. Each moment of every day can either lead us to or away from holiness. Each moment of every day can lead us to actions that are either loving or selfish. Each moment of every day can make us better or bitter. The best way to learn valuable life experiences outside of the classroom is to look for ways to help others and focus on their needs. If everyone did that every day, our world would be an amazing place.
How does a school like Saint Brigid recognize the importance of learning not only inside the classroom, but also outside of a classroom setting?
We have always had a community service requirement as part of our preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation. Community service has a two-fold value. The first is obvious – scores of organizations and individuals who need assistance benefit from the efforts of our eighth grade students each year. The second is less obvious, but equally important. Our students learn about important lessons about themselves. They learn what they enjoy working on, what they are good at, what they maybe are less successful doing, and what they don’t enjoy working on. They learn to apply their strengths, gifts, and talents in ways that put others first, and they learn that service is ultimately a great source of joy.
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