Improving EGHS One Complement at a Time #EGHSMatters

I notice how hard you work.  
I see what you do every day to help a colleague or a student or a parent.
I value you.  I appreciate you.  I admire you.  I respect you.  
I feel fortunate to be learning from and/or working with you.  

You matter.

These words can change a day.  They can change an outlook.  These words can change a life.

The phrase "You only live once" is obviously a lie. You live every single day, but you only die once.

With that in mind, shouldn’t we all think about why we don’t do more good things for ourselves and for other people before we reach that end? Why don’t we all take a moment during the course of each day to tell people that we love them, to make an effort to be kind, to do a favor for someone, to be generous with our time and talents when people might need them? It has become our belief at East Greenwich High School that we need to let people know that we notice what they do and that they matter to us every single day.

As educators, mentors, coaches, leaders, students, we need to take time to notice the talents and good deeds that the people who we are fortunate enough to live and learn and work with at EGHS do every day, and how these acts benefit our kids and our community as a whole. As leaders in the EGHS community, we try to let at least one person every day know that they “matter" and the things that they do are noticed and appreciated. We attempt to build this into our culture through the “EGHS Success” blog, in face to face conversations, and through a Google Form that we created that allows every member of our amazing faculty to very quickly and easily do the same whenever the reason arises.  Since the debut of the “EGHS You Matter Form” on April 1st, 2013, in a building with a faculty of about 90 people, over 370 messages have gone out to let people know that "they matter" to someone else.

Even though most people believe that they come and go throughout the day and work very hard- they also believe that no one notices what they do.  But people do notice. You are making a difference for someone every single day. You are inspiring others. You are worthy of praise.  And we can prove it to you.

It's a simple thing, really. It only takes one minute.  But a simple, honest compliment or bit of recognition can change another person's whole day, or whole perspective on themselves and their work. We have seen it first hand.  And we have been fortunate to experience it personally as well.

Based on the success of the “You Matter” form, we knew that we had to expand the opportunity to the entire East Greenwich High School community.  Beginning this year, students, parents, community members as well as the faculty and staff can send messages of appreciation to one another on Twitter by using the hashtag #EGHSmatters and those messages will be reposted to anyone following @EGHSmatters. We anticipate that this will grow into something special as well. It will provide students an opportunity to combat bullying, to recognize what is special inside of one another, celebrate great performances and talents, to let teachers and other professionals who regularly work with our students know how much they mean to our school community and to build an overarching culture of respect, admiration and appreciation among all of it’s members.

How do you let the people who you admire, like, respect or love know that they matter to you?  

And if you aren't doing that, why aren't you?  

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." - Jim Rohn

Additional Background Videos-

Angela Maiers- TEDxDesMoines- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FHdHUzRnms

Brad Meltzer- TEDEducation “Write your story, change history”- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LR7Vb6mqts&feature=youtu.be

Jeremiah Anthony via @westhighbros “A Sincere Compliment”-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2InkWRc1zww