Being Thankful- Steer Nation Message 11-19-21

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

Smokin Steers Qualify for State Competition- Congratulations to the Smokin Steers Team (Landon Locker, Lucio Arvizu, Jesus Gonzalez, and Oscar Bryan Sanchez) on their Reserve Grand Champion finish at the Graham TX HS BBQ Cookoff. This qualifies the team to compete at the state contest in Round Rock next spring. Each team member wins a $2000 scholarship. Results: 1st Mansfield Ben Barber Innovation Academy; 2nd Graham, 3rd 205 Pitmasters culinary school Rockwall.

Graham HS Choir- Five amazing musicians from GHS performed in the Regions 5 & 7 Clinic & Concert today. They qualified for this honor after auditioning in October. Congratulations to Jayden Harrell, Georgina Guerrero, Maddie Franklin, Kodie Gough, & Gaby Wooters! Two of these ladies are advancing to the Area contest in January! Congratulations Kodie G. - 5th Chair Soprano and Georgina G. - 5th Chair Tenor. Amazing job, ladies!

Highridge Church Providing Shoes-  Highridge Church is providing a pair of shoes for school-aged children ages 4-18! The deadline to register your children is November 24th. Register at this link- https://www.firstblessing.org/crf-highridge-church-graham…

Serving Our Steers Program is Growing- The Serving Our Steers (S.O.S.) ministry program began with East Side Church of Christ adopting Woodland Elementary. This week we learned that First Baptist Graham has decided to adopt Graham Junior High School. We are thankful to these groups for volunteering to serve our students and staff. 

 

Being Thankful...

We are about to embark on our Thanksgiving break.  Hopefully, each of you will have the opportunity to spend some special time with family, good friends, and good food reflecting on the blessings with which we are showered!

Being thankful does not only happen on Thanksgiving Day!

When Mrs. Klein asked her first graders to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful, it crossed her mind how little these children who lived in a deteriorating neighborhood truly had. From experience, she knew that most of the children in the class would draw pictures of turkeys or bountifully laden Thanksgiving tables. After all, wasn’t that what was expected of them?

What took Mrs. Klein aback was Douglas’s picture. Douglas was a forlorn child, one likely to be found close in her shadow when recess time came. Douglas’s drawing was simple. It was a picture of a lone hand.

The class became captivated by the image. “Whose hand is it?” one student shouted.  Another cried, “It’s the hand of God that brings us food, isn’t it Douglas?” Soon every student in the classroom added their own interpretation to Douglas’s drawing. “A farmer because they grow turkeys.” It looks like a policeman’s, and they protect us.” “Maybe it’s all of the hands that help us, but Douglas could only draw one of them.”

Mrs. Klein was so delighted about her class’s responsiveness to Douglas’s drawing she had almost forgotten about Douglas. When she had the other children busy on another task, she leaned quietly over Douglas’s desk and whispered, “Whose hand is it, Douglas?

Douglas mumbled, “It’s yours.”

Mrs. Klein recalled that she had from time to time taken Douglas by the hand; she often did that with all of the children. But that it meant so much to Douglas…

Perhaps, she thought, this was her Thanksgiving – not the things that we get, but the small ways that we give something to others.

Isn’t it great to work in a profession where every day is truly Thanksgiving Day?!!

CORNY THANKSGIVING JOKES!

"What did the turkey say to the turkey hunter on Thanksgiving Day?" "Quack, Quack!"

"Why did the farmer have to separate the chicken and the turkey?" "He sensed fowl play."

"What key has legs and can't open a door?" "A turkey.

"Why did they let the turkey join the band?" "Because he had his own drumsticks."

"What happened to the turkey that got in a fight?" "He got the stuffing knocked out of him!"

"Why shouldn't you sit next to a turkey at dinner?" "Because he will gobble it up."

"If you call a big turkey a gobbler, what do you call a small one?" "A goblet."

"What do you call a running turkey?" "Fast food."\

"What's blue and covered in feathers?" "A turkey holding its breath."

"Why did the turkey cross the road?" "He wanted people to think he was a chicken."

"Why was the turkey put in jail?" "The police suspected fowl play."

"How come the turkey didn't eat dinner?" "He was already stuffed."

"What did the turkey say to the computer?" "Google, google."

"What do you get if you cross a turkey with a ghost?" "A poultry-geist."

"What kind of weather does a turkey like?" "Fowl weather."

The Rest of the Story- Steer Nation Message 11-12-21

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

Graham Steers Football Playoff Game- The Steers will be at Aledo HS this evening vs Sanger HS. Kickoff for the game has been adjusted to 7:30 pm. Tickets are $6 each and can be purchased at TICKET LINK. GO STEERS BEAT SANGER!

RSB3 Success- The RSB3 had 15 students attend the Region 7 North Zone All-District Band auditions hosted at Hirschi High School.  Of the 15 that auditioned, the following 13 students were selected to this honor group. They will attend the All-District Clinic and Concert at the end of January! Congratulations to Claire Mairena - Flute, Natalie Crawford - Flute, Roselyn Barbosa - Clarinet, Genesis Avila - Clarinet, Dawson Grubbs - Alto Saxophone, Jackson Kidd - Baritone Saxophone, Jennifer Martinez - Trumpet, Nathan Sarinana - Trumpet, Robb Grimes - Trumpet, Anthony Blodgett - Trumpet, Jacob Huitt - French Horn, Tate Dunlap - Trombone, and Madison Freeman - Euphonium.

GHS FFA Success- Congratulations to Graham FFA and each of our students who competed at the District Competition.  Good work! Thank you, also, to Miss Blaylock and Mr. Whitaker for their leadership! Greenhand Creed- 1st Place Advance to Area- Brailey Brooks. Spanish Creed- 1st Place Advance to Area- Lizbeth Castillo. Ag Issues- 2nd Advance to Area- Travis Anderle, Brody Bates, Jayden Brown, Adam Busey, Miya Cantwell, Erica Popplewell, Bryce Robertson. Greenhand Ag Advocacy 3rd- Brazier Joy, Stephen Vaughn, Jayton Hearne, Emma Herpeche. Public Relations 3rd- Kaci Reese, Erica Popplewell, Creed Jordan, Hannah Hollingsworth. Senior Skills 3rd- Lela Chisholm, Laney Dundan, Bowen Boenisch. Ag Advocacy- Haylee Diehl, Michael Young, Cody Epperson. Senior Radio- Ashton Day, Zoe Russel, Cody Epperson. Greenhand Radio- Halle Gough, Ozzy Trejo, Hayden Horn. Job Interview- Creed Jordan. Chapter Conducting- Lela Allen, Kiya Cope, Makayla Kiser, Mckaylee Metcalf, Briley Reeves, Porter Robinson, Kayla Shifflett, Kylie Webb. Greenhand Chapter Conducting- Brailey Brooks, Mason Clayton, Hallie Gough, Brazier Joy, Oliziah Reyes, Ozzy Trejo, Steven Vaughn. Senior Quiz- Lela Allen, Travis Anderle, Kiya Cope, Seth Flowers, Tate Loesch, Mckaylee Metcalf, Jamie Smith, Kylie Webb. Greenhand Quiz- Jayton Hearne, Anedia Huerta, Emma Herpeche, and Mason Clayton.

Lady Blues Volleyball- Congratulations on an excellent season! Also congratulations to those that received 2021 District 5-4A Volleyball District Honors. Utility Players of the year: Rachel Grimsley; Newcomer of the Year: Trinity Gregory; 1st Team All-District: Emma Parker, Olga Morales; 2nd Team All-District: Georgia Martin, Braylee Mayes; Honorable Mention All-District: Miya Cantwell, Tatum Westerman; Academic All-District: Miya Cantwell, Peyton Dobbs, Emilee Gordy, Trinity Gregory, Rachel Grimsley, Georgia Martin, Braylee Mayes, Lillian Noble, Emma Parker, Tatum Westerman.

The Rest of the Story…

In the mid-1970s, Paul Harvey, who worked as a radio broadcaster, hosted a Monday-through-Friday radio program called The Rest of the Story. Each program was Mr. Harvey telling, with his distinctive and crisp delivery style, the story of a little-known fact or event with some important details omitted until the end. At the very end, he would provide the missing detail (usually the person’s name), and end the segment with “And now you know… the rest of the story.” The program ran continuously until Mr. Harvey’s death in 2009.

Today’s message will be an attempt to copy Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story style. 

Luther was born to a working-class family in New York City in 1937. Both of his parents were immigrants from Jamaica who had settled in the South Bronx. The boy’s father worked as a shipping clerk and his mother as a seamstress. To help the family make ends meet financially, young Luther worked at a local baby furniture store. The shop was located in the part of NYC with a large Jewish population, and the boy became fluent in Yiddish by listening to the conversations of the shoppers. 

He received his education in the New York City public schools, graduating in 1954. Luther graduated from the City College of New York in 1958 with a degree in geology. He once said of himself, “I was a C average student.” However, early in his college career, the young man was introduced to ROTC. It became the defining experience of his life. Here is how he described the impact ROTC had on his life: “It was only once I was in college, about six months into college when I found something that I really liked, and that was ROTC, Reserve Officer Training Corps in the military. And I not only liked it, but I was pretty good at it. That’s what you really have to look for in life, something that you like, and something that you think you’re good at. And if you can put those two things together, then you’re on the right track, and just drive on.”

After graduation, the young second lieutenant was sent for a tour of duty in Vietnam as an advisor for the South Vietnamese Army. While on patrol in a Viet Cong-held area he was wounded. On his second tour to Vietnam, his helicopter crashed and he single-handedly saved the lives of three soldiers. The young officer was beginning to distinguish himself.

Over time, Colin Luther Powell, a child from humble beginnings, was elevated in rank to Four-Star General, became the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and finally left public life as the Secretary of State. And now you know the rest of the story!

Colin Powell recently died. Not only did he leave a legacy of service and sacrifice, he left his thirteen rules of leadership which can be most impactful for all leaders.

Colin Powell’s 13 Rules of Leadership:

1. It ain’t as bad as it looks. It will look better in the morning.

2. Get mad then get over it.

3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position fails, your ego goes with it. 

4. It can be done.

5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.

6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.

7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.

8. Check small things

9. Share credit.

10. Remain calm. Be kind.

11. Have a vision. Be demanding.

12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. I hope they help you distinguish your career, also!

Colin Powell 1937-2021

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY!

What do you call a famous turtle ? (Email me or go to www.thecruseline.com for the answer.)

 

A Shellebrity!

Your View of the Cup- Steer Nation Message 11-5-21

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

Lady Blues Volleyball- Congratulations to the Lady Blues on earning a Bi-District Championship by defeating Gatesville High School. Also, congrats on an outstanding season!!!

Heisman Trophy Trust and Acceptance Insurance Heisman High School Scholarship Recipient Emma Parker- Congratulations to Emma Parker!  Emma has been recognized as the Graham High School Winner! From an applicant pool of thousands of high school scholar-athletes graduating with the class of 2022, more than 5,700 have been named School Winners in the Heisman High School Scholarship competition awarded by The Heisman Trophy Trust and Acceptance Insurance.

50th Annual All-American Girl Pageant- 7:00 pm on  Friday and Saturday at Graham Memorial Auditorium. All Tickets at $5 and are available at the LINK.

 

Your View of the Cup…

Do you recall the first time you heard the question “Is your cup half full or half empty?”  Mine was in junior high school English class.  Most of us began looking around the room for the cup the teacher was referring to. On her desk, she had placed a tall clear glass filled halfway to the top with blue liquid. Through some interesting conversation about “good” and “bad” things that happen portrayed in the book we were reading and in everyday life we began to understand the “real” cup is in our own minds.

As educators, we are presented with many opportunities to “view the cup.” Making the choice to see the positive in our district, campuses, and classrooms will always make our daily journey more pleasant. A positive perspective can create a mindset that provides the needed energy to make the difference our children deserve.

Consider the following example from Todd and Beth Whitaker’s book, Teaching Matters.

“When I was a principal, we often had visitors come to our school to meet our teachers, observe in classrooms and discuss curriculum innovations.  Most of the visitors arrived with a group of teachers and their principal. On this particular visit the teachers were meeting with a few members of my staff, so the principal asked me to take her on a tour so we could discuss some administrative issues. As we strolled down the hall, a group of first graders came in from recess. They bounced down the hall in a slightly crooked single file line. There was some soft chatter, giggling, wind-blown hair, and many smiles. The teacher was walking at their side, grinning and enjoying a quiet conversation with one of the students. My heart was warm as I observed their entrance. I was waiting to introduce the teacher to the visiting principal when the principal turned to me and said between her pursed lips and narrowed eyes, “A little rowdy and obnoxious today, huh?” I was so taken aback I couldn’t speak. The teacher approached, completely unaware of what had just been said. Her eyes sparkled as she proudly asked us, “Aren’t they precious!!??” These two women had viewed the same moment in time. One had chosen to see the beauty of the moment, the other had tainted it with harsh judgments and negative perspectives.”

Is your cup half-full or half-empty?  Your view of the cup is completely your choice!

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY!

Why did the dinosaur cross the road? (Email me or go to www.thecruseline.com for the answer.)

 

Because the chicken didn’t exist yet!