Partnership Educators,
As we move into this Memorial Day weekend, contemplate those brave men and women who serve or have served for us in the military. It is a day of remembrance for those that have died in that service.
In 2011, Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Special Forces in a raid in Pakistan. For Admiral William McRaven, he thought it might be the pinnacle moment of his 37-year career to have coordinated and led that raid. He said, "Maybe that is why I was put on this Earth. To bring justice to Bin Laden." He has since found that he was wrong. He now says it had nothing to do with that day.
Shortly after that highly televised event, Admiral McRaven received an invitation to do the commencement speech at The University of Texas at Austin. If you haven't listened to that speech I encourage you to do so. I will put a link to it below. The brutal training to become a navy seal is notorious for failure as it has an 80% drop out rate. Admiral McRaven cut his teeth within that training. Within his speech, he says, "All you have to do is ring the bell to get out. If you want to change the world, don't ever ever ring the bell. " He goes on to say that the secret to making it begins with one simple act. "If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and then another." This speech went viral and was viewed millions of times.
He now names this moment as the moment of his life in which he was put on this Earth. He says, "I meet people all over the world and they don't know anything about the Bin Laden raid but they know that I told them to make their bed."
Admiral McRaven names his high school coach as the one factor that might have led to him becoming a Navy Seal and for the accomplishments that occurred after. That coach encouraged and told him that he could.
This story tells us a lot about what we can do for our children but also for us. Some days when it is tough, we just need to accomplish the first task of the day and then move on to the second and so forth. Most importantly we can never ring that bell. Thanks to all of our fabulous service men and women in the military and thank you, educators, who serve the public and encourage your kids to keep going and achieve their tasks in life every day.
Have a fantastic weekend,
Rob
Superintendent
Redding Elementary School District
New Millennium Partnership
5885 East Bonnyview Rd.
Redding, Ca 96001