Alison Hirons, Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.’ — Marcel Proust”
Why?
“As modern people, and especially modern Americans, it is really easy to lead a very comfortable life in which we don’t often or possibly ever experience hardship, but it is really only by going through hard things that we build character traits like wisdom. In this sense, being spared from hard things is not actually the blessing we usually think it is.”
Andrew Reeves, Broadcast Journalism
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘My Wife!’ — Borat”
Why?
“Because I just got married.”
Angela Greer, SPED
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.’ — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg”
Why?
“Justice Ginsburg fought for equality and justice for women and people of color. She believed that justice means equality for all.”
Ashley Moll, Art
What’s your favorite quote?
“If you think you can’t, you can’t.”
Why?
“Your thoughts turn into beliefs and your beliefs guide your outcomes. If you believe you can’t do something you will create that result with your beliefs.”
Azie Pickert, Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.’ — Ralph Waldo Emerson”
Why?
“I feel like it motivates me to be the best version of me and how to strive to treat others. Life is short, and so this quote encompasses the way I want to live and be remembered!”
Bill Hume, Library Media Specialist
What’s your favorite quote?
“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every ‘superstar,’ every ‘supreme leader,’ every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there — on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”
Why?
“Because every person who has ever been [was] here on this small planet in a huge universe. It’s very fragile, and we should learn to cherish it and to get along.”
Brad Page, Associate Principal
What’s your favorite quote?
“You did the best you could with what you knew at the time. Don’t let new wisdom lead you to condemn yourself over old struggles. Forgive yourself and move forward.”
Why?
“Life is difficult and we make mistakes. Learning to forgive yourself and to move forward is essential for wellness.”
Brian Mowry, Social Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“The Secret to life is this . . . . (holds up an index finger) . . . One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean shit.”
Why?
“The simplicity of the philosophy backing this idea. Decide what’s important, stand up for it, and ignore the rest.”
Caitlin Neneman, Library Media Specialist
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘Don’t love to be loved in return. Love for the sake of loving.’ — Connor Chalfant”
Why?
“I think showing kindness and showing love, no matter who the person is, is of the utmost importance in humankind. Being a caring person, even when times are tough or the other person is not caring back, is how we can make humanity and the world a better place.”
Casey Engel, Communication Arts
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘The world is made up of people mostly not like us, and so we must read widely about people not like us.’ — Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, speaking at the 2018 NCTE (National Conference for the Teachers of English) conference.”
Why?
“Adichie defines one of the most foundational concepts of a truly meaningful education and the key to building empathy: we have to learn about others—other communities, cultures, eras, ways of life—to understand where they are coming from, what drives them, unites them, frustrates them, etc.”
Aubrey Griffith, Physical Education
What’s your favorite quote?
“A ship at shore is safe but that’s not what it’s made for.”
Why?
“I love this quote because, as people, it’s easy to stay in a comfortable place. (Like the shore in this instance) It’s very hard to go out and do uncomfortable things — but that is the only way we grow! This quote tells me that we were made for so much more than what we think!”
Courtney Buffington, Social Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“Perfection is overrated, boring. It’s the imperfections that make us who we are, that make us real, beautiful…necessary.”
Why?
“Guy Harrison.”
David Briggs, Industrial Technology
What’s your favorite quote?
“Make today a great day!”
Why?
“You are in charge of your life. Although many others may positively and/or negatively affect your day, you ultimately are in charge of your day with your thoughts and actions. Make it positive.”
Dwight Williams, Business
What’s your favorite quote?
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
Why?
“This quote is really just a good reminder to yourself to stay true to who you are and not worry about what others think of you. What you do when no one is looking is important. This quote kind of embodies what I believe in about life. Only you will know how hard you work everyday, how you treat others with respect everyday, putting others before yourself everyday and just being a good down-to-earth person everyday. So what others paint you as is really never your true painting. Paint your own picture!”
Jamie van Loben Sels, Communication Arts
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’ — Theodore Roosevelt”
Why?
“I always have to remind myself that everyone has different journeys, strengths, and circumstances that affect their lives and who they are. We are each uniquely our own person, and our paths will all look different. When you limit yourself to comparing yourself to someone else, another program, another school, etc., you take away the opportunity to be happy with who you are and what you can do yourself.”
Jason Dolezal, Social Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“You promote what you permit!”
Why?
“When you allow people to treat you respectfully or disrespectfully, you give them permission to do so with your consent. Stand up for yourself the moment you feel disrespected, and only attempt to get even with those that have done you right! Life is too short to live in anger. Master your anger, or anger will be your master.”
Jeff Yarnell, Speech and Drama
What’s your favorite quote?
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Why?
“The Bible is full of so much hope and good news. It’s been the most important part of my life.”
Jill Robbins, Mathematics
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities’ — Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
Why?
“We don’t always have control of our abilities, but we always have control of our choices. Our choices show our character far more than being able to hit a softball, play a solo, or score a 36 on an ACT.”
Jonathan Jost, Assistant Principal
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘If we magnified our blessings as much as we magnify disappointments, we would all be much happier.’ — John Wooden”
Why?
“I think it teaches us to be content and have a much more positive frame of reference. We all have blessings, and we need to spend our time focusing on those.”
Julia Janda, Band
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘Don’t let an excuse become a reason.’ — Jodi Lin (retired KCK music educator & administrator)”
Why?
“I like this quote because it is a good reminder to be accountable for your own actions. You may mess up from time to time, but you cannot let it become a pattern of behavior.”
Kale Mann, Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘Do or do not, there is no try.’ — Yoda”
Why?
“It is simple and to the point. If you want to make something happen you do!”
Karley Shirfan, Mathematics
What’s your favorite quote?
“Be curious, not judgmental.”
Why?
“I think it would help bring people together more. Understanding each other instead of judging each other would be a way to keep moving forward in the world as a society.”
Kate Baker, Mathematics
What’s your favorite quote?
“This too shall pass.”
Why?
“My Grandmother (Ina Mae) said it all the time. I will remind myself when life is a little tough, it will pass. I can still see her face when she said it.”
Kennedy Stevens, Art
What’s your favorite quote?
“Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you anywhere.”
Why?
“It can be easy to get caught up in worrying about the future or forces outside of our control, but it’s important to remember that if we can’t do anything about it at that moment then we shouldn’t waste our peace of mind by thinking about it.”
Manal Wiedel, Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“Well behaved women seldom make history.”
Why?
“I just love the girl power it exudes!”
Michelle Regan, Coach
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘To be successful at anything, the truth is you don’t have to be special. You just have to be what most people aren’t. Consistent, determined, and willing to work for it.’ — Tom Brady”
Why?
“The goal is always to lead by example — embody that work ethic, integrity, purpose, determination, and discipline that it takes to be a champion in life. Consistency is what sets you apart.”
Neerav Shah, Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘I took the one (the path) less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.’ — Robert Frost”
Why?
“I believe in uniqueness and unique experiences to guide our lives.”
Paul Bessetti, Band
What’s your favorite quote?
“Pressure is privilege.”
Why?
“It’s always a good reminder that we are all fortunate to have such a high achieving, successful band program and school environment.”
Paul Brown, Physical Education
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.’ — Theodore Roosevelt”
Why?
“The world is filled with far too many critics.”
Robin Lerner, Mathematics
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘You must do the things you think you cannot do.’ — Eleanor Roosevelt”
Why?
“As a math teacher, I listen to many students say ‘I can’t’ before they even try. They have already decided that it’s too hard for them. But once they stop preventing themselves from learning and from trying, it’s amazing what they are capable of doing! Some students who have never been successful in a math class are ‘all of a sudden’ getting A’s and B’s on their tests! And all because they tried.”
Steven Erbacher, SPED
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘If you want to be happy in your life, just ask yourself one question, “If I didn’t show up here today, would anybody miss me?” Because then you know you accomplished something of significance.’ — Nick Saban”
Why?
“This quote puts things into perspective for me. To have a career where I feel I am making a positive impact in this world is rewarding.”
TJ Slade, Business
What’s your favorite quote?
“‘Do or do not. There is no try’ — Yoda”
Why?
“I believe Yoda is truly saying that he doesn’t want Luke giving a less than full effort. You either do something or you don’t. Having the mindset of ‘trying’ means there’s already doubt in your attempt.”
Tony Scardino, Social Science
What’s your favorite quote?
“Act boldly and mighty forces will come to your aid.”
Why?
“I have always liked this quote because I believe opportunity presents itself to us when we’re brave enough to risk and start moving toward our goals — whatever they may be.”
