Have you ever been in the moment and looked around and noticed some of the things that you see every day, but for some reason in this moment, they strike you for how powerful they are. This happened a few weekends ago and it reminded me of how amazing it is to be a parent and have a high school student. I use the word “amazing” even though being a parent of a teenager is deep with stress, worry and bills. But I wanted to take a minute to say thank you to all the parents out there who help get our students to be so great with such awesome futures.
Parents, if no one has told you lately, “You’re the Bomb!” Well, I hope that is still a good thing. Anyway, Springfield Parents, I really want to say thank you to all the countless hours that you put in, all the worry that you do and, of course, all of the many nights that you support your kids. I watch the time and emotion that goes into being a parent. On behalf of all of the staff at Springfield High School, we are truly grateful for all you do.
Remember “that moment” that I spoke of earlier, I was recently in Columbus watching some of our athletes perform in state competitions. I sat behind a parent who had saved a seat for us to watch her daughter wrestle (thank you, by the way, as the place was packed). While I was sitting there, it dawned on me about this amazing mom getting up, driving all the way to Columbus, sitting in the stands hours before competition and, of course, taking care of her daughter throughout the day. In this one day, I’m sure she had put in countless hours as a counselor, a cheerleader, a chauffeur, a cook and so many other roles. I know this is what parents do, I get it. I know parents don’t often hear the thank you’s they should, but your efforts are noticed and appreciated.
Mr. Screptock and I then drove across Columbus to watch another set of our teams at the state cheerleading competition. So much of the day had gone well, but unfortunately, in the routine we had a little hiccup. And once again I sat in the arena packed with people and took it all in. It was amazing to watch our parents come out and console our kids. I know the amount of hours and time that it takes to get there. I know how many practices they drove them to. How many extra lessons and all the things that go into getting our kids to that level. It was truly amazing to watch kids with tears in their eyes, having their days turned around by caring parents who worked to make them feel good and appreciate the positive.
So to all the parents out there, for all the roles you do, I want to thank you because, without you, our school would not be nearly as special. Funny thing about being a parent though, sometimes we like to have fun. So as I thought of a way to share a picture with you for this article, I had a great exchange with one of my favorite parents who volunteers on so many different things. We talked about a certain picture that would be fun to share. A “big finish” memory that I said needs to be in the yearbook. Our winter guard team finished first in our two-day competition. Their routine was wonderful. And it ended up with one of our seniors, Sam, diving into a garbage can. Priceless. You may be saying how that fit this story, but it really does. The whole routine was well done and there was a reason why the Blue Devils were first in the competition, and a lot of that was thanks to the parents who supported all the kids. Congratulations to our winter guard team and a special picture provided of Sam from a great parent who volunteers a lot. SHS parents, thank you for all that you do. I look forward to finishing the year with all of you.
