L.E.A.D. has 6 core values that we govern ourselves by including excellence, humility, integrity, loyalty, stewardship and teamwork. We make decisions based on these core values. If we fail to fulfill our mission of empowering an at risk generation to lead and transform their city, it’s because we didn’t adhere to these values. By the grace of God, we continue to realize success because of theses values.
September is a month that we focus on excellence. Our LEADers are required to blog weekly about what excellence means to them. They are asked to describe current and past experiences of excellence. This is important to L.E.A.D. because we want to make sure that we are serving our LEADers with excellence.
The problem is that many of our LEADers can’t define or describe excellence. So even if we feel that we are serving them with excellence, they can’t receive it if they don’t know what it is or what it feels like. It is a mystery to many of them.
I define excellence as simple as doing what is expected of you. Attending school everyday on time and prepared to learn is excellent. Even if you have a troubled home life, attending school where you can be supported by several teachers is crucial. There are good and bad teachers but rest to assure that there are a lot of good ones in the building that can serve you but not if you aren’t in school.
Teachers expect students to behave with excellence in school by expecting them to stay on task and respecting others. Teachers asking students to be quiet isn’t acting with excellence as a student. I am sensitive to the fact that there are several emotional reasons why some students may not be able to stay on task in class. We have an opportunity as intentional mentors to teach students how to communicate those issues to teachers so that they can be sensitive and helpful. Lack of communication can prevent excellence from occurring.
Receiving an A in a class is excellence. B’s are good, C’s are average and F’s are failing. Students must respect the opportunity to receive an education by attending school everyday, behaving in class, studying at home and maintaining a good relationship with their teacher. If they do that, they can receive an A. You and I know that from experience.
“Excellent work requires regular inspection. We all do better when others are watching, especially when it’s the Lord and those we respect. Excellent execution requires alignment of expectations.” ~Boyd Bailey
Fortunately for our LEADers, we have year round comprehensive programming that supports their development on and off the baseball field. Life is a game itself and those that lose don’t have a good definition of what excellence is.
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| Martin Luther King Middle School (Atlanta Public Schools) LEADer Octavious Bradley with The Lovett School Headmaster Billy Peebles at Lovett Spring 2013 |
How do you define excellence? I will share your feedback with our LEADers.