A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. – Henry Adams
The American education system has been the foundation of this country since our inception. Our culture is based, our economy is built upon, the structured public education system preparing the next generation. We live our promise that the next generation will build on the accomplishments of their parents by preparing our young people for success.
In Ohio, our public schools are enumerated in the Ohio Constitution. While much has changed since 1803, Ohio’s teachers remain central in the education process. The work of these dedicated professionals, the influence they have on the future, lasts an eternity.  
The next generation of doctors, of political leaders, and of entrepreneurs are in our classrooms today. We must commit to developing and supporting the talented educators in our classrooms. Their influence never stops.

We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future. – George Bernard Shaw
The future will be won by those who apply the lessons of the past to meet the challenges of the future. We learn from past experiences, we build on the failures and successes, but we can’t try to retrace our steps . . . we can’t aim to recreate a time gone by.  
Reflection – the ability to adapt and adjust – is essential and how we respond to future challenges. As we model our growth mindset, as we embrace the productive discomfort of change, we follow an endless vision for improvement. We examine traditions and experiences . . . we seek to get better. We learn from both success and failure . . . we strive to improve.
Our responsibility is to create the future we desire. Our success in the future will not be determined by recollection of the past, but success will be determined by application of past experiences to shape a better future.

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. – Abraham Lincoln
One of our core values is “Stand up and Own it.” We practice this by our actions; we model this with our students. We have a personal responsibility to build skill and to embrace a growth mindset.
As adults, we have a responsibility to prepare the next generation of American leaders through the quality of our public education system. Our parents, their parents, and their parents before them lived up to the responsibility to prepare us – today’s leaders – for success. Past generations worked and sacrificed so that we have the tremendous opportunities we have today. Now it’s our turn . . . it’s our time to “Stand up and Own it.”
There is no evading our responsibility today; that will only lead to failures in the future. We must step up and accept today’s challenges. We know that evading challenges today only delays the inevitable. We are proud to step up and make a difference today . . . it will lead to a brighter tomorrow.

Culture is like a tree.  It takes years to cultivate and grow and yet it can be chopped down in a minute.  Protect your culture.  – Jon Gordon

Our culture is based on trust.  It is built over time, through experiences, and it can be lost in a moment.

We must actively protect our culture.  We can’t permit anyone to threaten the culture we strive to build and maintain.  It is up to all of us . . . we can’t let our guard down.  We must stand-up for the culture we demand.  We must confront those who undermine our culture – call them out.

Our culture, our values, are the core of who we are.  Cultivate our culture and protect what we’ve built.

Character is consistency.  It’s following-through on who you say you are and what you say you’ll do.  – Brian Kight

It’s simple.  Your character is how others experience you.  Are you consistent?  Can you be counted on?  Is your word worthy of your intentions?

Each and every day, purposefully work to have others experience the “you” that you want to be.  Follow through on who you say you are . . . do what you say and say what you’ll do.

There is zero risk in going after elite, exceptional performance.  All the risk is in being average.  – Brian Kight

Elite performance is not based on others . . . It is based on you.  You have a discipline-driven decision to make.  Will you be the average you or the elite you?

Your skill and talent doesn’t limit you . . . your personal discipline determines your success.

Great leaders don’t always get great results right away.  That’s why their vision, guiding principles, grit, and commitment are so important.  – Jon Gordon

What is your vision?  What are your guiding principles?  Are you committed?

You aren’t going to get great results right away.  You aren’t going to get great results every time.  It takes the willingness to try.  It takes the commitment to see your work though to conclusion.

In fact, it’s bigger than your work.  You are modeling your vision, principles, grit, and commitments to others.  Not only are you, as a leader and as the only person who controls your 20 sq. ft., working on your vision but you are showing others how to intentionally live their lives.

Just because you have a negative thought doesn’t mean you have to believe it.  A thought only has power if we give it energy.  – Jon Gordon

No one talks to you each and every day more than you.  Your self-talk largely determines your attitude.  You can listen to the negative thoughts – the blame, complain, and defend thoughts that creep into your mind.  You can give energy to the negative . . . you can be your own energy vampire.

OR . . . You can hear that negative thought in your self-talk and make a discipline-driven decision.  You can intentionally say “no” in your self-talk.  Don’t give your negative thoughts energy.  It’s natural to have the self-conversation.  It takes discipline to purposefully force the positive to overpower the negative.

Optimism is contagious . . . Optimism is a habit that requires repetitions and practice.  Practice optimism . . . Give energy to your optimistic self.

There’s nothing more powerful than a humble person with a servant’s heart and a warrior spirit who is driven by a bigger purpose.  – Brian Kight

Our purpose in public education is simple . . . we do what we do to serve our students.  We do what we do to prepare the next generation of American doctors, business leaders, and yes, teachers.  We have a monumental purpose.

We do what we do with heart, with passion, and with intentionality.  We work to provide both academic and life skills to our students.  We know we must impart more than books smarts; we must provide life smarts.

We will make mistakes.  We won’t get it right every day.  With humility, with a mindset of growth, and with a purpose-driven commitment we will succeed.  Our work is difficult; we are warriors for kids.  We shape the future.

Nine-tenths of discipline is having the patience to do things right.  – Pat Summit

My high school wrestling coach would always say, “you wrestle in matches like you wrestle in practice.”  His point . . . practice right.  When we take shortcuts in our preparations, when we go through the motions, it ultimately shows in our performance.

We tell our students, “do the right thing even when no one is watching.”  Rushing to “just finish” an assignment or copying someone’s homework is indisciplined . . . it isn’t the right way to do things.

Living a discipline-driven life, living our lives Above the Line, requires that we put in the work . . . it requires that we do things right.  From the Hall of Fame coach to the second grade teacher, it takes patience and commitment to do things right.