Today I got to be a guest speaker at the local high school, Poudre High (pronounced Pooooder) in their Sociology of Relationships class. First off, how cool that they offer that class! Second, how cool that I got to be a guest speaker.
I had never been to PHS, so I was a little unsure what to expect. It is a huge school and very nice inside. As soon as I walked through those doors, however, I had an immediate flashback to high school. There were posters on the walls advertising various clubs, teams, and candidates for class elections. Students were standing around in clumps talking. Lockers were banging shut. Students in the attendance office making excuses.
It got me thinking about my time at Walton. I really enjoyed high school--I made great friends that I am still close with 8 (!) years later, got the grades to get into UGA, and generally fared pretty well. I work a lot with high school students and I know that I was probably one of the lucky ones. High school can be brutal. Kids can be so cruel and hurtful and the impact can last a long, long time.
Was I ever cruel and hurtful? Did I say anything to anyone that will last a long, long time? I am sure at one point I did, as did probably most of us, unaware at that age of the power of words. Somewhere in the last 8 years I have become more open-minded and accepting, but before that? Im not sure.
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