KRISTY’S KORNER: “Stepping Up, Sometimes Means Stepping OUT”
Above photo: Principal Matthew Scheufele being fitted with his parachute harness, right before taking student motivation to a “whole ‘nother level…”
Educators who reward students as a type of encouragement is certainly not the newest trick in the book, but finding a principal who is willing to do a crazy thing like jump out of an airplane is exactly what Principal Matthew Scheufele did when his students at Centerville Elementary met their reading goals for the year.
A week ago Sunday, May 25th, at the Cape Cod Airport in Marstons Mills, after hours of waiting for conditions to be good enough to jump, Scheufele followed through and went up 2 miles over Cape Cod to jump out of a plane and land in the midst of an anxious field of family, friends, and colleagues cheering his safe landing. His tandem jump was caught on videocam for his students to see and I am sure, for this principal, a check on his “bucket list.”
This bold leap came from wanting to “step things up” from last years reward when he dyed his hair the colors of the rainbow, but little did everyone know it meant he would boldly step OUT of an airplane!! Great educators know the secret of keeping kids pressing toward their goals and finding things that excite this new visual generation of children who are looking up to adults to show them that learning and hard work CAN be fun.
Time to “step things up” for our kids…to show them that we have invested parts of ourselves in making things better for them. To encourage, and at times be a little silly, to show them that we really do care!
6/1/2014
Kristy’s Korner
by Kristy Spinelli, spinelliscoop@hotmail.com
Kristy is a local writer and Hyannis News contributor. Her views, opinions, and observations will deal with a wide range of topics surrounding our local HyTown culture. Kristy’s views do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Hyannis News, but in the true spirit of freedom of expression are intended to entertain and create discussion. Feel free to add your own thoughts in the facebook comment section below… or you may also contact Kristy directly at spinelliscoop@hotmail.com.
