Recognition day message

A blessed morning to each and every one of you.

I am deeply honored standing here in front you and welcoming you as the school director.  In as much as you are thankful that your kids are receiving these awards, I, as the school director am more thankful that you have given me this great privilege to be a part of your children’s pursuit to excellence.

It is indeed a rewarding day to see the fruits of your children’s labors.  Today, we shall see how proud they are of what they have achieved and how happy they are knowing that you, their parents will be jubilant of their awards.

Kids… Today you will honor your parents for your JOB WELL DONE.  But I remind you, not just to honor them with medals, but to honor them more with your righteousness, never yielding to temptation of giving up or defeat, but always looking ahead, that success is just around the corner.  Bear in mind that success is not just achieved by intellect, but by great faith in God, for without HIM, we are nothing.

I hope that you, in as much as the academic knowledge you gain in school or your after school programs, develop a deeper love to our Lord, and acknowledge Him always in everything and when I say everything, I mean the success and even in failures. For what good is a child who earns all the awards, recognition and honors, yet loses his relationship with God, family and friends?  Always remember that every success is a reward, but not every reward is a success.  It is ok to fail once in a while, because in failure, you gain wisdom, you gain resilience.  So if today, you fail, try again another time.

Parents… These kids worked hard to please you and as one of kids of grade 2 told me “I want to see the look in my parent’s eyes when I show them my medals teacher Khaye”

I would like you all to know as well that your children work hard because they know you also work hard for them.  Surprised?  Don’t be dear parents.  I have talked to your children as much as a director can and have spent time with them as much as I can afford and you will be surprised how much love they have for you that they don’t want to see you sad or disappointed because of their “lack of achievements”.  You will be surprised how excited they get to be with you so they can show you their winnings.

Now I am not going to speak to you today as the head of this school, but as a fellow parent given equal blessing by God to nurture wonderful kids. As a parent, I am proud to see how these children have become.  Seeing them every day learning things from the simplest to the most complex gives you so much joy. Can you imagine how happy and proud I am being just their school director, because I can feel how much joyful you are as the parents of these wonderful children.

Some of you may have different orientation of success and achievement; but for me, my orientation of success is simple:  When I see a child confidently speak to a person in authority, that is success, that is an achievement; when I see a child with no to little English ability, try to speak in English, even in wrong grammar, that is success, it is a great achievement; when I see a behaviorally challenged child learn to control his emotion or even to say thank you and I’m sorry, that is success, that is an achievement;  and when I see a child excitedly comes to school and wants to stay in school, that is success, it is an achievement.  Every child is successful; it just depends on the person categorizing success.  Even the children who are not here with us today are equally successful; because they have finished this year and they endured until the end.  It is a great success, it is a great achievement.

Let’s guide our kids to take one step at a time, one learning moment at a time. Let us not rush them to reach the kind of success that we have in mind, but the success that they have in mind.  After all, they are the children, they are the future.  Let us allow them to experience failure, it is a good way to teach them patience, determination and redemption.  Let us allow them to enjoy their journey as children and us as their parents, taking full consideration of the time we spend with them.  Let us allow them to grow in faith, patterned to faith that Jesus Himself taught us, the kind of faith that move mountains, the kind of faith that transforms the world.

Look around you dear parents, these are you in the future.  How do you see them?  Whoever we want them to be lies in our collaborative effort, not just you, but also us teachers as their role models, so let us not give up on them, day and night let us pray for them, reward them every now and them but rebuke them if need be, let us be the kind of parent that God wants us to be and surely, we will have the kind of kids we want our children to be.

Proverbs 22:6English Standard Version (ESV)

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.

I took a piece of plastic clay
And idly fashioned it one day,
And as my fingers pressed it still,
It moved and yielded at my will.

I came again when days were past;
The bit of clay was hard at last,
The form I gave it still it bore,
But I could change that form no more.

I took a piece of living clay,
And gently formed it day by day,
And molded with my power and art
A young child’s soft and yielding heart.

I came again when days were gone;
It was a man I looked upon;
That early impress still he wore,
And I could change it never more.

(Author Unknown)

Finally, I boast that a Spurgeon student never gives up because  Spurgeon school will not give up on you either.  SSFI Community, let us rejoice for today, we did not only finish the race, but we finished the race strong.  Thank you and may the blessing and wisdom of the Lord, Jesus, be upon us all.

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