CommitmentNCHS Superintendent’s Notes – May 11, 2016

By Ernie Fowler – Nashville CHSD #99

efowler@nashville-k12.org

I recently was watching one of the news shows on television when a story came on air that peaked my interest. It would appear that there is a newer generation of folks who support the idea of “starter marriages”.

Basically, this is a practice marriage that is short-term in nature and designed to better prepare the person for the next marriage which would be more of the life-long variety.

Some thought that perhaps the first marriage should have a certificate that would expire after 1-3 years.

The couple could then decide to simply let the certificate expire or renew.

Here is something to think about. If your current marriage license expired on June 30, 2016 would you opt to renew with your spouse?

The point of the column this week isn’t to debate the pros and cons of “starter marriages”, though I believe “till death do us part” is the intended standard in a marriage.

The message that I want to share with our NCHS students is this. Stick by your commitments.

Always be a man/woman of your word. If you commit to do something, then do it to the best of your ability and see it through until the end.

On May 22, we will see a group of young men and women fulfill a commitment they made 12-13 years ago. They started as little tikes going to Kindergarten. They had roughly 2275 student attendance days ahead of them.

When they reach out with their hand and take their high school diploma, they will have fulfilled a promise 13 years in the making. That is commitment! Let me be one of the first to congratulate the Class of 2016.

Being a graduate tells the world that you had the grit and guts to go the distance. Like life in general, you experienced great times and you experienced down times. Through it all, however, you kept going. You didn’t quit.

When you bombed a test or suffered some other blow, you got back up and kept knocking out those 2275 days one after another.

You will need to keep being committed to something after graduation.

Maybe it will be eight semesters (or more) of college.

Maybe it will be fifty years in the workforce as you provide a living for a family of your own.

Whatever path you choose, graduates don’t lose your sense of commitment.

I guess, though the Class of 2016 is ending their secondary education, high school could be considered your “starter” life.

Once you walk out of Assembly Hall, diploma in hand, the next life begins. It will be filled with ups and downs.

The good news, however, is that with each dawning day you get to renew the commitment to live life to its fullest. By the way, here is some free advice.

If you want to continue to live life…..always say yes to your future spouse when asked if you would renew your marriage license!

Commitment