I make frequent visits to classrooms throughout the school year, and am often impressed by the lessons that our teachers present to students. Often times they go above and beyond the subject matter to teach lessons about character, integrity and honesty. Business teacher Cinc Oleksa is a teacher that comes in early and stays late on a daily basis. She has a smile on her face for everyone. Cinc shared the story below with her students recently, and I was particularly struck by the importance of the message. At the end I will tell you the rest of the story. THE WILL TO CHANGE – The Carrot, Egg and Coffee Bean You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs and coffee," she replied. The mother then asked her daughter to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft. She then asked her daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the boiled egg had become hard. Finally, the mother asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich flavor. The daughter then asked, "What’s the point, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – "boiling water" – but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water (adversity), it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water (adversity), its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water (adversity) they had
"Which are you?" the mother asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
Now the rest of the story: If you ever met Cinc, you would not guess that she has struggled with adversity throughout this school year. Despite her challenges, she continues to inspire her students and works hard to make a difference. So many of our teachers are good role models. They truly care not only about teaching subject matter, but also about presenting positive life lessons. As we close the school year, I hope you will join me in thanking those teachers that made a difference in your child’s life this year. changed the water. STAFF RETIREMENTS I would like to recognize our staff retirees this year. These dedicated employees have made a difference in the quality of education and service for our school district. They are deserving of recognition, and we wish them the best in their retirement. Congratulations to the following staff members:
Christine Annable
Shari Beckwith
John Burrow
Deborah Dominick
Theresa Goubeaux
Pamela Gray
Barbara Heimerl
Dianne Koinis
Jane Lee
John Zielske
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