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Live Your Dreams September 15, 2008Leave a comment ;)
Whenever I sign a photo for a student, I use these words rather than saying "Best Wishes" or "Reach for the Stars." Why? Because I am living a dream, so why can't they? I tell people that I used to sit in a cardboard box and dream I was going to the moon, but I never really imagined that one day I could become am astronaut. That's what other people do, not me. I'm not good enough or there are others that are better than me. It was all just a dream... Surprise folks!! Dreams do come true, but only if you let them! If you believe in yourself and believe in those that believe in you, anything is possible. It just takes hard work, determination and the right combination of mentors and motivation. That was the message I took to the Arapahoe School students today. I had the opportunity to speak to three groups of students; some in middle school and some in high school. For those of you that have never been on a reservation before, this can be a world apart. Many reservations are in very rural areas, away from major population centers. The statistics for kids growing up on the rez can be staggeringly dismal. High unemployment, high drop out rates, teen pregnancy, diabetes, drug abuse, etc, etc... Being a kid in today's world is tough enough given all of the pressures they face at home, at school and in the community. Add to that a feeling that there is no hope for the future and you can see how difficult it is to look beyond the world you live in. What I saw today were extremely bright kids with incredible potential. I could see it in their eyes and hear it in the questions they asked. But what I also heard from a few were resignation and defeat. "I'll never leave the rez." "I have no future." "My family will take care of me." "I get per caps." (Per caps are per capita payments from gaming revenue that some tribes distribute directly to tribal members. In some tribes it can be substantial. I have no idea what it is here in the Wind River Reservation) These are really tough things to hear, especially when you are trying to encourage and motivate. What do you say to someone that thinks their world is so utterly hopeless that they have no incentive to graduate from high school much less go on to college? Well, here is what I said. I encouraged each of these students to believe in themselves. Sometimes it takes others, outside of your family, to point it out. It happened to me a couple of crucial times. I told them they needed to look beyond the present and see themselves in 10 years because it will go by in the blink of an eye. "Don't turn around in 10 years and wish you had a high school degree. Don't be satisfied making minimum wage. You have so much more potential than many of you realize." Many of these kids have no role models to which they can identify. Many in their families never went to college; many did not graduate from high school. Without role models to encourage and motivate, many of these kids don't know how to proceed. Part of the problem as I see it as that many of these kids (this is not a rez specific problem) don't want to do well, because they fear the ridicule of their peers. "It's not cool to be smart." Trying to get through a school day without accomplishing anything is seen as an ACCOMPLISHMENT! Teachers and administrators have a heck of a time trying to keep these kids interested and engaged when the kids have no support at home. Some parents are either apathetic or not educated enough to assist their students in the learning process. When I talk to these kids I can either focus on the negative or see the little flashes of potential and open the door to the possibilities of success. One girl was very engaged in asking questions, so I asked her what she wanted to do when she graduated (not "if" she graduated). "Deliver babies," was her response. I asked her where she would go to school. Did she know the process required to get a degree? Where would she go to medical school? I also asked her if she had ever spoken to a doctor about what she wanted to do. She seemed stunned by the idea of seeking out a professional in the profession that she wanted to pursue. I told her that doctors in the local area would LOVE to mentor a student interested in their profession. They would even let them know what they didn't like about it. Another student stated that he wanted to be a computer programmer but didn't think anyone around his area was smart enough to be one. One of the teachers immediately stepped in and told him he knew of three people at a local community college who were programmers. It's all about networking, getting to know the people that are doing the things that students want to do. Career days are great opportunities to open the door for professionals to come into the classroom and talk about what they do, but it must go beyond group effort. These students need to develop individual relationships with mentors to recognize their full potential. When I speak to students, I don't beat around the bush. If some are acting up and talking with their friends, I politely tell them to either stop or take their conversations outside. I don't tolerate disrespect and expect them to give me their attention. If they choose not to, that's fine, that is their choice (bad choice, but a choice nonetheless). It is my hope that in the time span of an hour I can at least plant the seed that each and every one of them has the potential to do something fantastic with their life. I tell them they are the only ones responsible for the decisions they make, no one else. They can (and will) make some bad decisions, but hopefully the good decisions will outweigh the bad ones. All of us can point out the times in our lives that were pivotal to our success. I hope to prepare these kids to recognize when it happens to them by telling them of the times it happened to me. For continuity, here is my background so that everyone might understand where I am coming from when I talk to students. Many of you have heard my story, but for the record, here it is in a nutshell. I graduated from high school with no real incentive to go to college other than I was told by my parents that I should. I never sought out the advice of my counselors, never stayed in one place long enough for them to get to know me (I moved about 14 times by the time I graduated from high school). I started college with a vague desire to work outside. I thought being a forest ranger would be the right fit. I always liked the outdoors, so why not? I entered college about the same time I learned to rock climb. I spent most of my time climbing and little time studying. Add to that a part-time job working at night, my grades suffered and I was suspended from college for a 1.72 grade point average. The year that I was suspended from school, I found my way to Fort Worth, TX and a full-time job in a restaurant. It was during this time that I was at my lowest point ever. I was lonely, no family nearby, no friends, and very little money (I made $4.00/ hour). At one point I lived in a run down apartment in southeast Fort Worth where I could not afford the deposit money to get electricity. In my frustration and loneliness, I made a call (from work) to a friend in Colorado just to talk. In return, he offered me a job rock-climbing in Colorado as part of a survey crew. I left Fort Worth within two days and found myself hanging from a cliff in Colorado the following week on Interstate 70 in Glenwood Canyon, CO. Over the next year I worked from Iowa to Colorado and Wyoming on a variety of survey projects where I had the chance to see mathematics in practice, trigonometry to be specific. I was fortunate that the owner of the company that I worked for took the time out of his busy schedule to sit me down and talk to me about my future. He flat out told me that if I wanted to improve my chances for success I needed to return to school and get a college degree. He encouraged me to look into the future and see where I might be if I didn't change directions. "You can't raise a family on $4.00 an hour. What are you going to do when you are 25? 30? Go back to school and make something of yourself." So I did! If I hadn't, I have no idea where I would be today, but I can pretty much guarantee that I would never have flown in space. I returned to school with a desire to major in engineering. By the time I was a senior I was an Applied Mathematics major and I worked for the Math Department as a tutor/grader for Calculus. It was during this time that I met the next gentleman that had a major impact on my life, and he was a retired Navy Captain that encouraged me to join the Navy and become a Naval Aviator. He flew aircraft in World War II and I was mesmerized by his stories. So, with a degree in hand, I entered the Navy in November, 1983. I went on to have a successful 22 year career as a Naval Aviator, test pilot and astronaut. None of this would have been possible if I had not listened to these two mentors. They mentored and I became motivated! One of the reasons I decided to pedal my bike across the country is that I have a responsibility to give back to others for what others did for me. I am the result of people that cared about me enough to want to make a difference in my life. It was my responsibility to listen and make a decision. I think I made some pretty good decisions. I also know I have made some bad ones, but life isn't easy and the path is never straight forward. To the students that will read this blog, each and every one of you is capable of doing great things. Some of you have the potential to change the world. If you do nothing, you will be nothing. Your life will account for very little in the great scheme of things. But if you believe in yourself, make good decisions and work hard to recognize your potential, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Yes, you can LIVE YOUR DREAMS! More Images: ;)
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3 Comments
Sep 19, 2008 10:50 am - Brittany wrote : Mr. Herrington you are a very inspiring man. I am really intrigued by what your doing. I go to Ada high school in Oklahoma. My Geometry class is following your journey. You are a phenominal writer. We'll be checking back on your blogs in class to see what new adventures have come your way.
Sep 16, 2008 5:01 pm - shawnie wrote : Hey John, Are you on target w/your daily trip progress? :- Hope some parents attend your speaking engagements too. They will be a continual point of encouragement for these rez students who have no vision. Your rewards in heaven will be great for this trek to lift up the rez across the USA. Joy 2 Ya! May your energy and enthusiasm be renewed each morning... Add a comment: |
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Hey John, FYI we get per capita payments form our oil and gas revenue on the reservation. Currently we are getting $140.00 a month. The per capita payment goes to each enrolled member of the Arapahe Tribe. The Shoshone Tribal members get $350.00 per month. They get more than us Arapaho because there are fewer of them than us. WE DO NOT GET MONEY FROM OUR CASINO. Also, I was in that classroom when you had that run in with that girl. I was very embarrassed. I am an enrolled member to the Arapaho tribe and an college graduate. I have been a special ed teacher for 18 years. I have taught in Alaska and Hawaii as well as Wyoming. I MADE IT, and very happy to return to my reservation to teach. We are not all hopeless. Many Arapaho's have made it and have returned to work on our Reservation. My Mother in law is a doctor and she has returned home to work at the Arapahoe & Ft. Washakie Clinic as the Psycharist she's an enrolled Arapaho . Resectfully Submitted. KB