New year brings a new perspective

Here we are at the beginning of another school year, with our latest "fashion trends" and just altogether with a whole new outlook. For some reason, students always come back to school looking greater and more alert than the previous year ... and then, normally, that alertness just eventually fades once we hit the middle of the school year.

But here at New Life Christian High School, it's a whole different story — adrenaline is always rushing here. Maybe it's just me, since I'm a senior this year, but is seems like there's a lot of high expectations for this year.

I asked some of my fellow New Life students what they are they expecting out of this year. General Beisley, who is a senior, said, "I'm looking for the conclusion of the 12 years that I have attended New Life. It's been a beautiful ride, but it's finally come to an end. I can walk away knowing that I have absorbed all the life lessons that I can. I love this school!"

I couldn't have said it any better. Mackenzie Ford, who is a junior, is "Looking forward to growing as a Christian and as a student, and to find what God's will for my life is."

I also questioned one of the faculty members to get a teacher's perspective on what they're expecting out if this year.

Mrs. Waters, who is the English, literature and speech teacher and also the chapel coordinator, said, "I am anticipating great things this year in our student body. We have a fabulous senior class with tremendous giftings in leadership and creativity. Our underclassmen are extremely gifted as well.

"My hope is that our students will enjoy each and every day at NLCS," Waters continued, "that the memories made will last forever, and that the instruction won't just be 'head' knowledge but 'heart' knowledge as well."

When I asked Simeon Joiner, who is our school's only freshman, what he is looking forward to this year, his reply was short and simple: "New friends."

There's an old proverb that says: "Like a shadow in the morning, the friendship of the ignoble man is great at first, then gradually it decreases and disappears. Like a shadow in the afternoon, the friendship of the noble man is small at first, then gradually increases." Our school family has such a great bond due to the fact that our school is very small in size.

Our goal at New Life isn't to be the greatest school in existence but to be set apart, not only as a school but as individuals. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps once said, "What immerse power over the life is the possessing of distinct aim. The voice, the dress, the look, the very motions of a person define and alter when he or she begins to live for a reason."

From a school-centered perspective, that quote would say that it is the students who define the reputation of a school.

We definitely are not perfect — we have our ups and downs — but we keep on rising to our challenge. I know we have stepped on this campus with this a whole new perspective, ready to face whatever the education world — or just simply life — throws our way.

Sonya Singh is a senior at New Life Christian High School. Her column appears every six weeks in Education.