Summer is fading away and we are gearing up for another new school year.

Students have been pressing on through the heat, preparing for exciting seasons of football, golf, volleyball, soccer, marching band and other activities.

If there is something going on that keeps our kids busier than we could ever imagine, we will be following in tow. Their busyness lends itself to the constantly shifting chaos in our lives. But, it’s always worth it.

Our kids are always worth it.

As I think about what this new school year has in store for our kids, the odds can seem stacked against us as parents (and them as students, too). Pressure mounts up in school to be the “all-around student,” with the great grades and the athletic talent and the right crowd of friends. Concerns for our kids’ safety, the quality of their education, the decisions they’ll make this year and the choices of friends they’ve picked seem to mount up.

We hear all the time about the growing statistics concerning kids today. Statistics like “75 percent of all high school students across the country have tried an addictive substance”1 or “The United States now ranks 17th, 14th and 25th in the world for math, reading and science development”2 can be very discouraging.

But don’t give up hope this year. Remember – our kids are not statistics. Our schools, clubs, teams…they are not made up of statistics, but young people of influence and potential who can change our community for the better. Sure, negative statistics like those and others could cause us to feel powerless against the pressures of the day, but let’s instead encourage a student this year.

Say a positive word to a teacher, coach or student advisor. Here in Oregon alone, between Oregon City Schools and Cardinal Stritch/Kateri Academy, there are nearly 4,500 students being influenced by this community every day. Add to that number all of the teachers, faculty, coaches, and staff from our schools and the scope of influence becomes even greater.

This year, let each of us be a person of influence in the life of another. We can set this community apart and fill the news headlines with something worth celebrating.

1. Columbia University National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) study released June, 2011.

2. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report for 2010.

OCFC is a non-profit coalition that exists to reduce substance abuse among youth, promote positive choices, and
strengthen families.

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