There is nothing quite so exciting as a fresh beginning. The start of school every September is certainly as fresh as it comes: no matter what happened in past years, the year ahead holds possibilities of new discoveries, adventures and learning – not to mention new fashions, new friends and new trends that replace the snap bracelets, Pogs or He-man lunchboxes of years long past.
Bright smiles and loud laughs were certainly to be seen last Thursday as some local schools opened their doors to students, but there was also the one or two children that held back, leery. Of course, there are a few students out there that dread going back to school – the student that has to be dragged through the double doors kicking and screaming.
The blind, deaf and mute Helen Keller once described being at sea on a ship in a dense fog, looking for the way to shore with no clue how to get there. “I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without compass or sounding line, and no way of knowing how near the harbor was. ‘Light! Give me light!’ was the wordless cry of my soul, and the light of love shone on me in that very hour.”
For students who have had bad experiences so far, maybe this is the year they find that light, the spark that will capture their interest or they find something within education that engages them. The possibilities are endless, if students have parents, teachers or others who are supportive and keen to help them find their way.
Good luck and best wishes for a great year to all the teachers, staff and students at our schools in the year ahead. Hopefully, this will be a year to spark the curiosity that continues a lifelong tradition of learning.
