ACHIEVEMENT AND THE FOUR R`S

Summer 2014 Vol 20 Issue 9
ACHIEVEMENT AND THE FOUR R’S
B
eginning in late August and extending until early June,
teachers, students and parents find themselves under the
reign of the three R’s – reading, ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmetic.
Achievement in this kingdom calls for dedication, hard work, perseverance, organization, and time management.
In mid-June, a transfer of kingdoms begins, extending into late
August. This summer kingdom calls for the four R’s: rest, relaxation, reflection, and renewal. Its goal is still achievement, but the
process and the practices are very different. These four R’s are divided into two groups. The first two – rest and
relaxation – form the first group. They are self-evident (especially
after a long hard year of work) and come naturally. Only the unrepentant workaholic needs to be taught how to rest and relax.
Achievement and the Four R’s continued on page 9
UNDER THE CANOPY
NEWS FROM BIRCHWOOD
Sunday saw current, former and future families come together
for an Ice Cream Social at the Birchwood School campus. Kids
enjoyed balloon art, temporary tattoos and field day games while
everyone partook of a Mitchell’s Ice Cream build-your-own-sundae bar as well as birthday cake and cake pops.
Birchwood School Celebrates 30 Years
During the weekend of May 31 - June 1, Birchwood School celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Festivities kicked off Friday evening
with the school’s annual poetry show which, in honor of the occasion, highlighted poetry from previous years and included archival
footage from earlier shows.
A DJ played international tunes and State Representatives Mike
Foley and Nan Baker presented state house proclamations in honor
of the event and school. The Ronayne family, a first year family at
Birchwood, also donated a birch tree which was dedicated that day.
continued on page 2
Birchwood alumni also
hosted an alumni reunion
later that night. The next
evening, 140 current and
former Birchwood family
members convened at the
Cleveland Botanical Garden
for a black-tie dinner and
auction. Surrounded in the lush greens of the garden, the school
marked 30 years in high style, raising more than $53,000 to seed a
campaign for the school’s first permanent home.
CONTENTS
Celebrating 30 Years...................2
Board Update
Gala at the Garden......................2
Parents’ Corner
Thanks for a Wonderful Year.......2
Reflections by Charles Debelak
Ben Franklin Initiative..................3
Guests heard from Honorary Chair James Levine while City Council President Kevin Kelley and Birchwood parent and City Councilman Anthony Brancatelli presented city proclamations honoring
the historic moment.
Class of 2014 Graduation............4
2014 Legacy
Essays.........................................4
Where Are They Now?
From Birchwood to College.........9
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© Birchwood School | 4400 West 140th Street | Cleveland, OH 44135 | Office: 216.251.2321 | birchwoodschool.org
PARENTS’ CORNER
UNDER THE CANOPY continued
Birchwood School Celebrates 30 Years
Thanks for a Wonderful Year
continued from page 1
What a great year the Parent Committee had. We had a wonderful back-to-school picnic at Lakewood Park (mark your calendars
for September 5 for this year’s picnic – we have rented the whole
pavilion to accommodate our growing community).
Birchwood parent, Kauser Razvi, coordinated engaging, monthly
early dismissal day activities. We had several Parent Committee
meetings which showed the interest of new and veteran families to
help guide the future. And, the International Festival and Auction
was more spectacular than ever.
Thank you to all the families that participated in our five-hour volunteer commitment. Your help not only assists the staff with a variety of tasks, but also helps to create our community atmosphere.
All said, we had more than 400 current, former and future students
and family members join us. It was an exceptional weekend and
we thank everyone for joining us. We offer particular thanks to the
Third Federal Foundation whose leadership support made every
aspect of the event possible.
Thank you to Mitchell’s Ice
Cream who donated Sunday’s
ice cream bar.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our fundraising activities. Please continue collecting Box Tops and Labels for Education over the summer. A complete fundraising list can be found at
birchwoodschool.org/Parent-Committee.
Recapping our fundraising for the past year – we raised:
BOARD UPDATE
Gala at the Garden
Birchwood School sure knows how to celebrate 30 years! Thank
you to everyone who attended the gala at The Botanical Garden
on May 31. It
was a beautiful
evening starting
with beverages
in the gardens,
continuing with
dinner, delightful comments
by alums Seth
Matthews and
Peter Debelak,
Honorary Host
James Levin,
and Chuck and Helene Debelak.
•
IFA – $19,000 plus $11,000 dedicated to the art program.
•
Scrips – approximately $2,000
•
BoxTops – $681.70 was used to purchase a storage cart for
scooters, recess playground equipment, and Greek textbooks.
•
Labels for Education – We currently have 27,472 points. We
have been banking points for a few years.
•
Giant Eagle – 210 points used to purchase playground balls
and bean bags for preschool.
•
Heinen’s, Lands’ End and Target – approximately $500
•
SchoolKidz supply program – $637.59 raised only through
early commitment and ordering discounts.
•
Graduation Program Book – $509 after printing costs.
•
Scholastics Book Fairs – We earn points that go straight to the
school’s reading program to purchase books and equipment.
We gave away:
Live and silent auctions rounded out the evening. Thank you to
everyone who purchased tickets and participated in the auctions
and fund-a need collection at the gala.
•
$2,000 to students/parents attending national competitions.
•
$15,000 to help cover competition fees and staff development
(traditional donation the committee has given for years).
•
$6,000 toward computers for the teachers.
Thank you to the past year’s leadership: Gail Glamm, Brenda Spicer and Michelle Ehlert and all the homeroom parents and program
coordinators. Next year, we will be in good hands with Jennifer
Stainforth as chair, Rae Balanson and Greg Gordon as vice-chairs,
Brenda Spicer as secretary, and Michelle Ehlert as treasurer.
The board is looking forward to their annual meeting in July
where new members will be elected and plans for the future
will be reviewed. We are still working on securing permanence
in our facility and are hopeful for progress as we begin a new
fiscal year August 1.
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Birchwood Clipboard | Vol 20 | Issue 9 |
REFLECTIONS BY CHARLES DEBELAK
BEN FRANKLIN INITIATIVE
CLASS OF 2014
LEGACY ESSAYS
D
uring their final year at Birchwood School, eighth grade
students explore the idea of becoming a “great person”
as defined by the Greek Cardinal Virtues – someone who
is learning to “become everything that they can become,” and
someone who is learning how to be socially responsible, making
positive contributions to family, friends and society.
By studying and reflecting upon the lives of great people from
all walks of life, we are inspired and set our hearts on a journey
to cultivate these same virtues. As an extension of our character
development program, the Ben Franklin Initiative is an opportunity
for students to learn skills that promote independence, self-reflection, responsibility, collaboration, goal-setting, and planning. The
initiative speaks to the best intentions of young teens and inspires
them to fulfill their potential.
A program such as this is critical for students in their early teen
years. As they become more independent, wanting to make their
own choices about life, it becomes increasingly important that
parents and teachers prepare them to make thoughtful, reasoned
decisions. It is everyone’s hope that these young men and women
will become a blessing to themselves and everyone around them.
and although early success was elusive, the impact and result of
these initiatives forged a remarkable character, and made Franklin
one of America’s greatest founding fathers and a good model for
young teens.
The name of this program, “The Ben Franklin Initiative,” is obviously derived from the historical figure, Ben Franklin, a child of
common origins but of uncommon adult accomplishments. Franklin was determined in his teen years to become a noble and good
man: personally successful and socially responsible. To this end,
after considerable study and personal reflection, Franklin identified
14 personal virtues that he believed were necessary for success.
Aiming to cultivate these virtues, he established a plan of action,
To conclude their eighth
grade year, students write
a brief essay explaining
what they have learned
from these studies and
how they have been
affected. One can only
hope that the aspirations
and intentions expressed
in these essays will be
brought to fruition in
due time.
“By studying and
reflecting upon the
lives of great people
from all walks of life,
we are inspired and
set our hearts on a
journey to cultivate
these same virtues.”
In this final issue of
Birchwood’s 2013-14
Clipboard, we are including each essay, all of which can be found
on birchwoodschool.org/Clipboard-Newsletter. The class of 2014’s
Legacy Essays begins on page 4.
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© Birchwood School | 4400 West 140th Street | Cleveland, OH 44135 | Office: 216.251.2321 | birchwoodschool.org
CLASS NEWS
CLASS OF 2014 GRADUATION
CLASS OF 2014
LEGACY ESSAYS
We are bursting with pride over the 12 fine students who graduated on June 4. Each graduate gave a speech during the program
in which they presented a striking display of growth and maturity.
These thoughts are mirrored in Legacy Essays which they composed at the conclusion of their eighth grade year.
We invite you to read the 2014 Legacy Essays written by members
of Birchwood’s class of 2014. Each year, following the year-long
Ben Franklin Initiative, eighth grade students write a legacy essay
to share with younger students. Their inspiring essays reflect what
they have learned about becoming a “great person.”
Every one of them exemplify what we hope to achieve in the years
of a Birchwood education and serve as an inspiration for parents
and students who are currently engaged with the process. Their
matriculation to high school follows below.
To learn more about the Ben Franklin Initiative, please visit
birchwoodschool.org/Ben-Franklin-Initiative.
Great People by Amir Issa
G
reat people have strong morals and they take charge of
their goals, their work, and their life. They also care for
others as if they were caring for themselves. These people,
have existed all throughout history, and they still continue to affect
us to this very day. A good example of a person like this would be
William Wilberforce.
For those of you that don’t know, Wilberforce was the man that
passed the law that made slavery illegal in England. Halfway
through his life, he fell ill to a disease that affected his strength and
will. He was unable to work in the government at that time and
help free the slaves. But even through all of this, Wilberforce went
on. He kept on working even when only a couple people in the
British parliament were on his side. His life was exposed to me in
my eighth grade year and I hope that his morals and his stories will
stick with me for the rest of my life.
Class of 2014 Matriculation
Maryum Ali – Laurel School
Jack Brancatelli – St. Edward High School
Grace Cao – Magnificat High School
Amir Issa – St. Edward High School
Vinayak Kurup – Phillips Exeter Academy
Topstone Liang – University School
Throughout my eighth grade year at Birchwood School, I have
been learning in math, science, social studies, and language arts,
but, the most educational
experience, for me, was the
Ben Franklin Initiative. Started
by Mr. and Mrs. Debelak, we
were taught how to be great
people and how to care for our
fellow men. We listened to
and watched many movies and
stories, and heard Mr. Debelak’s
experiences and somehow there
was a way that Mr. D. analyzed
these in such a manner as to
expose what they were actually
trying to tell us.
William Liu – Hawken School
Julia Moreno – Hathaway Brown School
“Throughout my
eighth grade year
at Birchwood ...
the most educational experience,
for me, was the
Ben Franklin
Initiative.”
Anika Rede – Hathaway Brown School
Caroline Vlastaris – Laurel School
Ying Ying Yang – Hathaway Brown School
Crystal Zhao – Hathaway Brown School
I came into Birchwood School, I think, not having acknowledgement of the world around me and the people in it, and it wasn’t
just the Ben Franklin Initiative that changed that view. It was the
amazing teachers that did that. They built me up to achieve, learn
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Birchwood Clipboard | Vol 20 | Issue 9 |
LEGACY ESSAYS continued
and respect my work so I could do it well. Birchwood and all of its
teachers have taught me that I should do work for myself and that I
will need it later because it is the building block for future learning, and I fully agree with them.
Mr. Debelak showed movies of great people who have these virtues and afterward we had a discussion. Not only did this improve
our thinking skills, but it also showed how much courage each of
those people had. In regular classes, people learn to have courage
to tell their teachers that they haven’t done their homework, and it
isn’t easy to do so, when it’s easier to lie about it.
Some of our Ben Franklin lessons included time management
skills which consisted of writing down schedules for our work,
and in other classes such as social studies, we made schedules
for our studying often. Such things can be very helpful when you
don’t know what to work on.
When Birchwood sends its students to high school, it also sends
an idea of what a great person is.
Self-Discipline by Jack Brancatelli
T
Even though there was a lot of hard work involved, after my five
years at Birchwood School, I would say that my eighth grade year
has been the most fulfilling and fun. It has been an experience to
learn how to be a great person without fame, wealth or popularity.
o go far in life and to be a great person, work habits must be
approached with a proactive attitude. Time management,
organization skills, self-discipline, and the ability to reflect
on your mistakes all fall under
this way of living. With these
skills you are able to take
control of your own life and
learn from your mistakes. I’ve
learned these skills during my
time at Birchwood and used
them every day, as they are
key to accomplishing almost
anything, and will forever help
me outside of school as well.
Courage by Maryum Ali
A
lmost all great people are courageous, standing up for others, and doing things no matter what the risk, and that is
something that Birchwood embeds in all of its students.
Courage is one of the most important virtues in a great person.
Even though one has to be self-controlled, just, courageous and
wise, courage is what really matters. People can be courageous in
many different ways and situations.
William Wilberforce for example had the courage to stand up
against all of society for what he thought was right, and when he
fell, he stood up again. On the other hand, Annie Sullivan had the
courage to take hold of Helen
Keller, who everyone else
thought was a hopeless case
but Annie continued. She knew
that if she gave up, she would
have given up her brother for
the second time.
“To go far in life
and to be a great
person, work
habits must be
approached with a
proactive attitude”
Time management and organization help you live your life the way
you want to and in a way that fits your needs. You can organize
schedules that fit your needs, allowing yourself to fit both work and
down-time into a day.
“When Birchwood
sends its students
to high school, it
also sends an idea
of what a great
person is.”
Organization makes sure there is quick access to the resources that
will let you go forward; from just organizing a trapper to filing
folders on a shelf, keeping organized is key. Without organization
time will be wasted searching for things that could easily be at
hand, and once there is good organization you will feel that you
hold a certain control on your work.
John Merrick had been forced
into the freak circus because
of how he looked and began to
be called the “Elephant Man.”
People thought that John had no intelligence, couldn’t speak, and
was an animal. When he was taken to the hospital and met Mr.
Treves, he had the courage to trust him, even after all the beatings
he had been through. He had the courage to stand up and show that
he could speak and had intelligence.
Self-discipline is one of the largest and most important aspects to
becoming a great person. Good self-discipline leads to knowing
when to work and when to play. You can tell yourself to put down
the video games, stop procrastinating, and get back to work. But not
only that. With self-discipline you can understand and tell yourself
the importance of working hard. You can realize what needs to be
done to improve yourself, and make the changes necessary to make
sure you stay the best person you can be. This also reflects learning
from mistakes, which is essentially the same thing. You are able
spot weak spots and work on them to make you stronger.
All great people, and people who want to become great, should
have courage. William Wilberforce, Annie Sullivan and John
Merrick, are just examples of great people who have had courage.
That is something that Birchwood embeds in every student, some
of it coming from the Ben Franklin initiative in eighth grade, to
everyday classes.
Time management, organization and self-discipline are some of
the most important skills to becoming a great person. With these,
you will have control over your life and can learn from yourself
and mistakes. If you master these skills, you are certain to go far no
matter what you do and how you go about using them.
Even though each class helped me in my skills, the Ben Franklin
initiative was the most important of all. Every day in opening,
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© Birchwood School | 4400 West 140th Street | Cleveland, OH 44135 | Office: 216.251.2321 | birchwoodschool.org
LEGACY ESSAYS continued
Trying Your Best by Caroline Vlastaris
shoes. Once I was able to do this, I became much more empathetic
towards others and was able to understand their circumstances
and situations. To become just to myself, I had to remove the
bias I had, toward myself and look at the facts as they were. This
helped me gauge myself objectively and ultimately helped me to
understand myself better, enabling me to correct problem areas and
perform optimally in anything I attempt.
M
y dad always says, “I don’t care if you get good grades,
as long as you work hard and try your best I will be
proud of you.” I think that a great person should work
hard at everything and do his or her best at all times, no matter how
difficult the hardship.
“Birchwood taught
me how capable I
am and, simply, how
to put effort into
everything you do.”
One thing that I’ve learned
while at Birchwood is that
school is hard. Before I
came to Birchwood, not as
much was expected from
me. The first few years
here weren’t that difficult,
but as I made my way into
the upper grades things got
much harder. I found myself struggling to keep up and was having
trouble with understanding things in class. But with much extra
time and a lot of effort I pulled myself out of that rut and in the fall
I will be attending a class A high school.
Self-control. Learning self-control at Birchwood taught me to remove my emotions from a situation. Similar to being just towards
others, it helped me restrict my emotions, primarily anger, and
helped me discuss rationally with others. In times of stress or pressure, I blocked everything out and performed without the anxiety
that I would’ve otherwise had.
Courage. Courage, which is loosely derived from “heart,” fuels
individuality and the power to stand up against what is wrong.
Courage is not only the bravery necessary to fight against injustice
or wrongdoing, but also is the spirit necessary to face personal
fears. I have learned to embrace my fears, to confront them headon and conquer them. Whether this means speaking more in front
of people or writing more poems, Birchwood has helped me break
out of my shell and face my fears head on.
During that period of my life I wasn’t trying my best and I wasn’t
making my parents or myself proud. But my teachers and some
very special people helped me build up good habits and taught me
to be thorough in my homework and class work.
Wisdom. “Wisdom is not knowledge, but lies in the way we put
to use knowledge.” Birchwood has taught me to take what I know
and use it to impact the people and society around me. I have
learned to share my thoughts through writing, and solve real-life
problems using my math and science skills. This knowledge, put to
use to better the world, is embodied throughout the school and is
the essence of wisdom.
Working and trying your best in all situations is the first step in
becoming a great person. If you learn to do your best in one thing,
it will reflect on other aspects of your life. Overcoming a strenuous problem increases your stamina and teaches you that pushing
through the worst times is sometimes the best reward you can get.
The many competitions I was able to participate in at Birchwood
drove me to become a hard worker and better prepared me for any
high school dilemmas I may encounter.
Overall, I have also gained many other valuable traits – perseverance, determination and self-motivation. Perseverance has taught
me to push through all odds to achieve a goal, to shoot for the stars
and fight to get there. I now know how to set my mind upon a goal,
and persevere to reach it. Finally, I have developed an inner fire, a
will to learn, that is insatiable – I learn not because I am forced to,
but because I want to. These traits that I have gained from Birchwood have begun molding me into a great person.
Birchwood taught me how capable I am and, simply, how to put
effort into everything you do. Thank you Birchwood!
Will to Learn by Vinayak Kurup
T
hroughout history, many recurring habits and qualities of
great people have existed. Among those lie the four essential truths that make up a great person: justice, self-control,
courage, and wisdom.
Becoming Virtuous by William Liu
M
any great
people have
risen throughout history and have
been admired and idolized by later generations.
One definition of a great
person is someone who did great things. Another definition is a
person that’s great at heart. Though there have been many impressive people in the world, a great person has many virtues. They are
defined by their leadership, persistence and courage.
Over the course of my eight years at Birchwood, I have striven
to embody these traits as well as numerous others. I have become
more just toward myself and
others, self-controlled in times
of anger, courageous to stand up
for what I believe in, and wiser.
Justice. Becoming just to myself
and to others meant letting go of
my selfish inhibitions and biases
while placing myself in other’s
“I have developed
an inner fire, a
will to learn, that
is insatiable ...”
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Birchwood Clipboard | Vol 20 | Issue 9 |
“A great person is one
who is virtuous and
caring to everyone ...”
LEGACY ESSAYS continued
It’s hard to be a natural leader. Though thoughts of being a king
may sound enjoyable, a strong leader is actually very hard to be.
Not everyone has the chance to be king, but there are still times
in which people can show leadership. Leadership can be expressed
through small actions like helping someone younger get through
homework or watching kids so they don’t get hurt. Leadership
can be displayed in both small and large actions and define a
great person.
Malala Yousafzai is a great person, because she is determined,
compassionate, and all for her cause. She is an activist for rights
for education and for women, especially where she used to live in
Swat Valley were sometimes girls are banned from school.
On October 9, 2012, 15-year-old Malala boarded her school bus.
On board she faced an assassination attempt by a member of the
Taliban. No one knew if she would make it, but she did. After she almost died she could have given up fighting for rights, but she didn’t,
she prevailed. Malala still fights for what she strongly believes.
As she stated, “When the world is silent, even one voice becomes
powerful.” While others abandon the fight to educational rights and
women’s rights Malala stood strong. “Some people only ask others
to do something. I believe that, why should I wait for somebody
else? Why don’t I take a step and move forward.”
Another definitive trait of a great person is persistence. Though
a task may seem impossible, a great person never gives up an
important goal. For example, William Wilberforce was fighting
against almost all of Parliament to abolish slavery in England.
This is a beautiful picture of persistence. He fought for over
25 years, making slow progress even as the task gradually drained
his health. Still, he never gave up despite the obstacles that he
faced. His story can motivate us to keep trying even if the task
seems insurmountable.
Malala is just one example of a great person. She was faced with
difficult situations, she chose to stand strong and do the right thing
to help the helpless. She did the right thing without a thought to
how it would affect her. A great person is selfless. In this case the
right thing to do was not the easiest thing. To do what Malala did
and overcome what she did, she had a vast amount of courage.
Because of her actions and her beliefs she made a stand against the
present evil in this world, and because of her the world is a little
brighter for it. We should all try to change the world in some way,
and be the start of a spark to ignite world change for the better.
The last virtue that a great person has is courage. Courage may
seem like fighting a dragon but in reality, courage comes in much
smaller things. A great person has the courage to fight for someone
even if everyone else is against him. For me, this is the hardest lesson. It takes courage to stand up to bullies and tormentors, and it’s
scary to step in and take a stand for what is right. Courage is one of
the greatest virtues that a great person has.
It doesn’t take a celebrity or a world famous hero to become a
great person. A common person can be great to the people around
him and be seen as a great person to those in his community. A
great person is one who is virtuous and caring to everybody and
doesn’t slack off no matter how big or small the task is.
Self-Control by Anika Rede
A
fter learning about virtuous people in the Ben
Franklin Initiative, I
can say that I admire and respect
people with a strong sense of
self-control. My life constantly
presents issues with self-control;
TV and leisure reading are
always vying for my attention.
Famous people like George
Washington, William Wilberforce and John Merrick shocked me by
how they controlled their own desires to overcome obstacles and
reach goals. I not only admire those prominent figures, but I also
respect common people, my own friends.
True Test of Character by Julia Moreno
W
hat makes a great person, great? Is it coming from a
well to do family? Is it buying the best clothes? Is it
winning awards? It’s on the inside that matters.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said
“What lies behind you and what
lies in front of you, pales in
comparison to what lies inside
you.” This quote states that no
matter what is going on around
you, does not matter as much as
how you react to the situation.
“A great person
is defined by
what choice they
make in intense
situations ...”
“... I admire and
respect people
with a strong
sense of selfcontrol.”
I never realized how great people express themselves even through
the smallest of actions. Crystal, a friend I have known for only a
year, stays true to her own conscience and responsibilities even
just by keeping quiet and concentrating. It surprises me how she
controls herself while staying amiable, modest and even “weird.”
Great people also tackle their greatest challenges head-on. For example, Vinayak decided to keep healthy and stop eating junk food
last year. While others laughed, he resisted the temptations and
continues today even after more than 15 months.
Does one go hide away and curl
into a little ball, or does one stand tall in the midst of chaos? Does
one make a difference in the favor of others or do they wait for
someone else to speak? As John Wooden once said, “The true test
of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” A
great person is defined by what choice they make in intense situations and how fast they can adapt to the situation.
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© Birchwood School | 4400 West 140th Street | Cleveland, OH 44135 | Office: 216.251.2321 | birchwoodschool.org
LEGACY ESSAYS continued
I am more conscious of my own actions by observing the selfcontrol of others. I restrict my own laziness to perform efficiently
both during and outside of class, and I run a mile or two a day to
improve my general health. Limiting my TV time allows more
time for studying for school, listening to music, or just getting to
bed on time.
For a time I was really depressed and wanted to go back to algebra
I, because it would simply be much easier. But later I told myself
that I should continue, or else it would affect the course I could
study in high school. I eventually found an algebra I class online
and studied for a month, which helped me much and made algebra
II easier to learn later.
I now keep either notes or a schedule to remind myself about assignments. I manage my time more efficiently like how I blocked
out times during the Future Problem Solving State Bowl so I could
review my packet at the end. All these skills will help keep me on
time with assignments and remember things more easily during
high school. Improving myself through self-control, in my opinion,
provides many benefits as one of the greatest human virtues.
Everyone knows that not giving up is a good character trait, but
not everyone is able to do it. It takes considerable courage, and it
doesn’t feel good when one actually continues to do something
when he or she faces obstacles. But great people continue, and that
is one of the differences between them and others.
Self-Control by Crystal Zhao
Y
ou are in a little meadow surrounded by deep forests
and rolling hills that you’ve not yet explored. You sigh,
exasperated, and inhale fresh, crisp air. You wiggle your
toes through cushy green grass in frustration. Despite the lovely
surroundings, you are not happy. The stem of your feelings lies
halfway across the meadow.
Don’t Give Up by Ying Ying Yang
A
ny important task is like running a marathon. It is always easy at the beginning, but as one runs farther it gets
harder. Many stop because they are tired, but great people
are courageous. They never give up even when they face obstacles.
“Don’t give up.” This is easy to
say it, but hard to do so. When
one just starts to do something,
it might be easy because he has
energy and enthusiasm. But
obstacles appear slowly as one
continues and loses the passion
to solve problems. When one
finally finds that everything is
against him, it is always easy to
give up, rather than continue.
When great people meet this
situation, however, they choose to continue. Great people know
they are doing the right thing, and they can’t achieve anything if
they just stop in the middle.
In my mind, it’s a horse, a magnificent grey mare with black
socks. You have an overpowering need to ride her; when you are
around her you feel strong
and capable. But every time
your hands skim her flank she
prances away. Hopefully, you
aren’t discouraged and you
chase the elusive mare. Selfcontrol is difficult to attain,
but once you mount and tame
the beast, you are one step
closer to becoming
a great person.
“Great people
continue, and
that is one of
the differences
between them
and others.”
“I’ve only just
begun a lifelong
journey with selfcontrol to become a
truly great person.”
When I first came to Birchwood School half a year ago, I had no
interest or knowledge in becoming a great person, one who had
tamed self-control. Instead of mounting this mare and mastering
her, I let the animal dash to the farthest corner of my mind. It was
hard to turn away from the beckoning “chat box” that held the
door to my old friends. They carried me away from a new, rigorous
school that I had been reluctant to go to. I would lounge stagnantly
in the meadow, wasting time texting. Hours would fly by, and
although the horse nickered a few times, I couldn’t pick myself up
and mount her. Slowly, as the year progressed and more homework
piled into my backpack, I learned to stagger up and stumble toward
the horse. At first, I took many detours, but I later learned to take
a mostly efficient path. Now, after a long chase, I managed to flop
onto the horse and cling loosely to its neck. I’ve fell and been
dragged about by the stirrups, but a tremulous grip is better than no
control at all.
Anne Sullivan was one of these great people. Being Helen Keller’s
teacher, she faced incredible obstacles. Helen’s parents were
against her strict teaching methods for Helen, and Helen herself
didn’t cooperate well with her. But she continued with a determined mind and finally taught Helen to be one of the most influential people in the world.
In everyday life, we might not be able to do something as great
as what Anne Sullivan did, but the idea of not giving up is still
very useful. I chose to study algebra II this year, not knowing how
hard it was. The first few chapters were easy, but when it came to
quadratic equations, I didn’t understand what the book was talking about at all, mainly because I didn’t know the mathematical
terminology, and I didn’t have a strong base on linear equations.
8
Birchwood Clipboard | Vol 20 | Issue 9 |
LEGACY ESSAYS continued
I’ve mounted self-control and given her a place in me; in return,
she will bring me closer to becoming a great person. Together we
will gain courage by jumping fences and exploring the forests and
hills. After a long day of riding, I will learn to groom and feed her
well. I will also give myself respite. In this way she will help me
learn to be just toward myself and others. After many years of riding, I will be skillful and wise. Self-control will give me so much,
but it will not be an easy journey. She will dip her head to graze
and I will slip off, she will throw me and I will misguide her. I’ve
had a taste of the strength and independence she gives me, though,
with help from Birchwood. I’ve only just begun a lifelong journey
with self-control to become a truly great person.
Achievement and the Four R’s
continued from page 1
The next two – reflection and renewal – come less naturally, but
should follow rest and relaxation. Through rest and relaxation we
decompress, setting aside the worries, stress and pace of a busy,
high-achieving life. If enjoyed meaningfully, however, rest and
relaxation are not an end in themselves. Instead, rest and relaxation
enable us to reflect and renew. Resting and relaxing make it possible to see our lives afresh and move forward to higher levels of
achievement that lie ahead.
Reflection – about our work, our challenges, our problems, our
relationships – is simply taking the time to thoughtfully review
who we are, what we are doing, why we are doing it, and where we
hope to go. Renewal is often a natural consequence of reflection.
Once our minds and hearts are at ease, once we have taken the time
to look at our lives from new perspectives, spontaneously new expectations and fresh hope spring forth. And as the summer winds
down, and as we approach a new school year, we will greet the
year with earnestness and dedication to new levels of achievement.
Matriculation to College
Birchwood Class of 2010
As Birchwood’s
class of 2010
heads off to
college this fall
we congratulate
them on their
current and
future success.
Shawki Atassi
– University of
Michigan
Carlf Cao –
The Ohio State
University
Nathan Christian – The Ohio State University
Grant Farmer – The Ohio State University
Zachariah Issa – The University of Akron
Deepak Kumar – University of Pittsburg
Tia Tamera Lester – Cornell College
Miranda Manimbo – Fordham
Mohamed Munim – The University of Chicago
Zaeem Mustafa – The Johns Hopkins University
Miguel Poblete – The Ohio State University
Clare Pruitt – The Ohio State University
Yun Lu Sun – Northwestern University
Nardine Taleb – Case Western Reserve University
Benjamin Wu – Case Western Reserve University
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, August 27
First Day of School
K - 8th grade with early dismissal at noon
Thursday, August 28
Preschool First Day of School
Early dismissal at 11:15 a.m. for preschool students
Friday, September 5
Back to School Picnic
Lakewood Park beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Birchwood’s 30th Anniversary class graduated on June 4, 2014.