Take a stand

Courtney Ochi
July 7, 2010
Filed under Features

Every year, we study influential leaders in history, those that change society by leaving a lasting impact on all of mankind.
‘Iolani is like its own society, a place where teachers and administrators have the power of to become those influential leaders and can either use their capabilities for good or evil. While some may unnecessarily power trip over dress code regulations, others focus on the reasons for school: knowledge and education.
Throughout the thirteen years that I have attended ‘Iolani, I have had great teachers that have inspired me by being passionate about what they teach. I fell in love with English while reading Catcher in the Rye in Ms. Schroers’ class. Between her and her mothers’ classrooms, I realized that English is something I hope to continue studying in college.
Besides academics, I have learned so much about myself through dance with Mrs. O. I have also opened my eyes to the world around us after being given the opportunity to interview Mr. Nguyen about his struggles in Vietnam
Each and every faculty member on this campus has the potential to change a student here. Each teacher has the power to shape a student’s mind into loving, admiring, or hating a specific subject.
Whether we are almost adults or newly turned teenagers, our brains are in the process of growing. They are being molded and shaped regardless of whether or not we try to stop it.
Therefore, if my time here has been spent with teachers that I was lucky enough to have, why are so many other kids complaining? Students are always disgruntled about the stressful projects they’re assigned. That type of whining is unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. I learned from Mrs. Frith that there are so many other people in the world, living in poverty and destruction, simply wishing for a book to know how to read.
It’s the complaints about favoritism and unjust grading that bother me. Granted every human being has their own perceptions of situations, I can understand the frustrations behind feeling like a situation just is not fair.
If I have learned one thing through these past thirteen years, it is that life is not fair and you cannot always get what you want. Call it cynical, but it is a fact of life. If everyone got what they wanted, no one would get what they wanted.
But does that mean that life isn’t worth the fight? I spent hours in meetings deliberating over numerous little dramas. I spent so much of my year fighting for what I believed in and although there were times that I failed, there were times that I succeeded.
So, I leave ‘Iolani with a quote I’m reusing from my senior section in the yearbook. I hope everyone makes the time to “find a place to stand and move the world”.
Do not settle for second best, believe in what you think is right, even if it means standing up to someone who is more “powerful” than you, because you may just be right.