What constitutes success? At Oliverian? For a student? For parents?

So often as a society, we put so much pressure on outcomes, achievement, reaching some goal that is either thrust upon us or self-imposed. We often fail to focus on the journey, the process of growth, the lessons, and the experience of taking the steps to get where we want… and rarely do we entertain the notion that the journey may bring us to a place that we never thought possible, and away from the original goal.

Summer session is an opportunity to step away from this pattern of thinking about results. We have an opportunity to engage all at once with returning students, outgoing students, new students and students that are stopping at Oliverian for a short time. This combination gives us a chance to see how we as a school, as teams, and as each individual faculty can impact students and families by focusing on the journey rather than the outcome. We look at what is in front of each student right now, this moment, and we do our best work to focus on that, rather than an arbitrary outcome. Of course there are credits to earn, adventures to complete, chickens to raise, art work to create and display. But there are friendships blooming, skills being tested, interests being peaked, new experiences being had, and self-understanding being discovered. These are the most important parts of our work with teenagers.

Try to let go of your own focus on outcomes, close your eyes and focus on the moment you are in and what you are experiencing in the process of your daily life. Right now… Try to change your pattern of thought for just a minute. It can make all of the difference.

Sharon McCallie-Steller
Counselor