Role Model

Role Model

I recently met a very nice young man. He was not just good looking but also very intelligent, respectful and focused. After talking about miscellaneous things, we ended up talking about education. I asked him what school he attended and his answer was, “I wish I was in school, but I wasn’t smart enough to stay in college.” I then asked, “What changed?” and he replied, “After I dropped college, I met someone and this person made me realize how important education is.”  He also said that growing up he didn’t have any good role models, nobody from his family had attended college. I realized how important it was to have a good role model.

            We talked for a while and I truly enjoyed our conversation. It was very educational, and he was very smart. He has such a distinction between right and wrong, the value of school, family, different religions, culture and even politics. I was very impressed but at the same time I was feeling sad for this young man. I kept thinking about what he could do if he continues his education, he is planning to return to school and I wish him the very best.  

            I remember when my daughters first started high school and countless people asked me if my girls wanted to go to college? At first I didn’t understand why people were asking me this question. There was no option of not going to college. I grew up with education being a huge part of our society. My girls knew from an early age that they had to go to college.

When I started learning that not everyone wants to go to college, I began to understand why people asked me that question. I read an article about “dropout factories” — high schools where at least 60 percent of the students do not graduate on time. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/high-school-graduation-rate-rises-in-us/2012/03/16/gIQAxZ9rLS_story.html)

No doubt many factors are involved and I am no one to judged but it is a very sad fact. After talking to him and reading this article it made me start realizing that kids aren’t the only ones who need good role models, we all do. We tend to focus more on children, which is understandable. But what I am seeing these days is that there are many teens that act like they know everything but are actually desperate for positive attention and are looking for a good role model.

Many of us have friends and family, whom we trust and feel comfortable with sharing our issues and struggles. They support us, make us feel welcome, don’t judge us and help us understand our situation. We like this feeling of being welcomed and comforted and want to meet these kinds of people again. The way I look at it is that some friends and family members are great role models to us, and at times we are their role models. Roles are constantly being reversed.

It doesn’t matter what culture you’re from or what your age is, we all need a good role model. My role model was my high school principal. She was a great lady; I have so much respect for her. Besides teaching us, whenever she had time she would come and talk to us about basic life issues.  The way in which she talked to us was very calm, gentle, and respectful. She showed how much she truly cared for each student.

Being a good role model to others is a very powerful thing. We never know how we’ll impact another person.