Yesterday, after a fun-filled Election Day on campus, I carved out time to take my sons with me to vote. Although they are still in their primary years, I feel that it is never too early to share with them that having choices and a voice is powerful and purposeful. On the way to the voting site, I shared why we were going to vote, who we were voting for and why I made that choice. Hunter and Parker were interested in how they would find out if their guy won. This morning they attentively listened to the news to find out.
As parents, we must remain cognizant of the influence that we have in our children’s lives. We make choices that will impact their decision-making abilities later in life. As the holiday season approaches, our kids are likely to share all the great things they want as the catalogs and commercials take center stage. Try providing this opportunity for choice – for every new toy or game that your child wants or receives, he/she will have to choose a gently used toy or game that is no longer one of his/her favorites, to donate to a local church/shelter/child in-need. It may be difficult for kids to make this choice, but support them through the process. Learning to make their own choices helps children to become independent thinkers, responsible citizens and confident decision-makers. If we begin to raise children who can think about how their choices can impact others, we will indeed be able to say we did our duty as parents.
Let me also share that I would be remiss if I did not express my sincere gratitude to all of our parents and community members who supported our Young Leaders’ Election Day bake sale. The generous donations totaled $900.00 and will support our campus beautification project. On behalf of the entire faculty, staff and student body, thank you for your support. It is truly a pleasure to serve such a dedicated community.
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| Young Leaders' Bake Sale |
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| Durham students took to the polls! |
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| Our Top Dogs served a poll workers... |
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| Durham students voted for Pres. Obama wiht 330 votes. |
Hello Onica,
ReplyDeleteI just read your profile in the Leader a few days ago. Just wanted to say congrats on making a great impact on all the students' lives at your school Durham. It seems you are indeed a very busy principal that takes her job seriously! Kudos to you. I happen to be a native Carib myself--hailing from Jamaica almost 22 years ago. And welcome to Houston (although it's been two years for you). We need a lot of great teachers and principals for our area schools.