Bainbridge High School senior Libby Clements recently spoke about inspiration at the Bainbridge Youth Services Compassionate Action Celebration. Following is her speech:
“There are many things I could tell you about myself, but that’s not why I’m here today. This speech isn’t about me. It’s about inspiring others to make the world a better place.
I’ve always had a passion for watching others learn and grow, which brings me to the subject of the people who inspire me the most; the students I have the pleasure of working with in ILC.
ILC stands for Integrated Learning Center. It’s where I get to assist in a classroom setting that falls under the umbrella of special education three times a week.
Quite honestly, it’s my favorite place on campus because it’s where I’m the happiest. It’s the one place where the learning experience comes from both the teacher and the students, because the students can learn as much from you as you can from them. That’s why I’m standing in front of you today. This speech isn’t for me; it’s for the students I work with.
I love watching the students I work with discover a passion for learning. Since all of them learn in different ways, they’ve taught me to be more willing to try a new approach. For example, I never thought that listening to the soundtrack of Fiddler on the Roof could be so beneficial to someone. You may be asking yourself, ‘How did ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ become a part of a student’s education?’ It all started one day when I was walking with a student around the track, since that’s one of her favorite activities. On this particular day, the sounds coming from the construction site on the BHS campus, where the 100 Building used to be, were louder than usual. The volume of the noise was bordering on unbearable, so I attempted to block out the noise the only way I could in that moment. I started playing the soundtrack from ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ since it was the last thing I searched for on YouTube, at the loudest volume my phone could produce. Little did I know, I was in for a pleasant surprise. Her reaction to hearing music was the most delighted reaction I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. Her face absolutely lit up, as if, for the first time in her life, someone actually understood what she was trying to say. Since this student is non-verbal, she doesn’t have many options for communicating with others. Music therapy seemed to be the missing puzzle piece that gave her the power of communicating with others and being understood. That moment was magical, and in order to keep the magical spirit of learning through music alive, we now listen to the soundtrack of Fiddler on the Roof together quite frequently during third period.
Watching the look of joy that always comes to this student’s face when music is played gives me joy as well. Not only do I get to watch her learn, I get to learn how to make myself a better teacher. And I also get to geek out over musicals, which is a nice bonus. This experience has made me realize that I can learn from the students of ILC as much as they can learn from me.
Working with the students in ILC has made me a better person. They hold me to a higher standard as a human being, which means I want to be the best version of myself, since it’s to their benefit. I try to set an example for them and get them to see learning as something beyond words on a page. Learning is so much more than that. Learning often manifests in ways you wouldn’t expect, taking many different forms. Learning can be exhibited through working on social skills by playing a game of Uno, using crayons and a coloring page to learn how to sign the names of different colors, or rocking out to the soundtrack of ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’ All of these ways of learning are valid, and more importantly, they’re effective and they keep students engaged. This further develops their love of learning, which is something I’m passionate about for both my students and myself. If the students in ILC walk away from school at the end of the year with imperfect spelling, I’m OK with that.
Being perfect isn’t the ultimate goal. Above all else, I hope that the students I’ve worked with learn that the goal of life isn’t perfection; it’s to accept and love yourself the way you are and to do the same for others. These two factors serve as the basis of all compassionate actions. In an ideal society that’s accepting of all people, we ultimately shouldn’t need to be encouraged to complete compassionate actions. These actions should be done because they are right, not because they are rewarded. So, as we celebrate the compassionate actions of people in this room, think of this; Can we create a future where compassionate actions don’t need to be rewarded because they are the norm?”
Editor’s note: This I Know is a project of Bainbridge Youth Services to share viewpoints of teens in their own words. BYS is a nonprofit organization that offers free, confidential mental health counseling, free tutoring and job services to youth 13 to 21 years old. Check out the website at www.askbys.org.
