On Line With ISVI

By Reggie Clinton - Superintendent ISVI
February 11, 2008

Since my arrival at ISVI on January 2, 2008, I have had the opportunity to get acquainted with students I did not know and reacquainted with students I knew during my previous time here. This article I want to devote to two students, one who is new to me and one I previously knew. This is my observation of their success stories.

First, let me begin with saying that everyone of us is a unique individual. These two students each have their own special talents and personalities. They both will go down separate paths in life and they both have their own success story.

The first student is one I remember from being at ISVI five years ago. He is one that leaves an impression upon you long after meeting him. I have seen him grow from a boy into a young man. He gives 100% in everything you ask him to do. He is positive and thinks of others first. When he leaves ISVI in the near future his plans are to move into an apartment that he will share with a roommate and he already has a job lined up in the community where he will live. I have no doubt he will be an asset to the staff he is joining and that he will bring smiles to peoples’ faces as he performs his job duties. He is one of those individuals that people truly enjoy being around due to his positive outlook on life. He has learned many skills while here at ISVI, but he has also taught us much in his approach to life. I have no doubt that he will continue to be a success once he leaves us.

The second student is much like the first, except that he will be headed to a group home environment and he too will have a job waiting for him. This young man is different from the first, but also very similar. I have never seen him without a hand shake and a smile for those he encounters. Even though he must work harder to accomplish tasks, he does so with the focus of someone determined to do it well. He too is a person who has the ability to make you smile. If you are having a down day, once you cross paths with this young man your day will get better. Although he has not been at ISVI as long as the first student, he has managed to acquire skills that will help him be successful in the environment he will live in once he leaves here.

For me what is most impressive is how these two young men are always upbeat and positive. Their approach to life is something we can all learn from. I find myself already feeling somewhat sad knowing they will be leaving us at some point. I also find myself feeling pride in knowing they have matured and are ready for the next step to their independence in life. But most of all, I find myself realizing that my life is better for having had the opportunity to share in their lives for but a brief time.

Thus, as our students at ISVI grow and learn, we must remember that everything we do is toward the goal of allowing them to be successful in life beyond our school. At the same time we must realize that even though they are not our child, it is still hard to let them go. But let go of them we must and we will always wish them the best as each student makes their way into the world beyond the walls of ISVI.

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