Stay True, Stay You
By Jermaine Edwards, Community Advocate for St. John’s Rural South
This is your moment. Summer is behind you, and the new school year is here. The fun, the ( nights, the chill vibes with friends, that part is over. Now, it is time to reset. It is time to focus. It is time to step into the classroom and step into your future.
School is not just books and exams. It is also about the people you meet along the way. Some of them will be with you for life. Some will drift away. Some will come back years from now when you least expect it. These are your peers, the ones who will grow alongside you, and the ones who will shape your journey just as much as your teachers do.
But let us be real for a second. One of the biggest battles you will fight in school is peer pressure. It is real. It is heavy. It is constant. Pressure to fit in. Pressure to act like everyone else. Pressure to say “yes” when your gut is screaming “no.”
Here is my challenge to you. I dare you to be strong. I dare you to be bold. I dare you to be you.
Say no when no is the right answer.
Stand tall even if people laugh.
Be the leader when everyone else chooses to follow.
Be the one who creates the vibe, not the one who copies it.
Do not let yourself become a robot, moving only because everyone else is moving. Do not become a statistic, another name in a sad story. Your dreams deserve better. You deserve better. The only way you will get there is with a clear mind and a focused vision.
Yes, you will face pressure. Around drugs. Around sex. Around crime. Around things you already know. But hear me clearly. You are worth more than the things that can destroy you. You are too valuable to waste.
Do not let anyone tell you your choices do not matter because of your age. They do. We see you. We hear you. We respect you. And we are proud of you.
We may seem strict sometimes. We may seem like we are trying to control you. The truth is different. Many of us have been where you are. We know the traps. We have seen the damage. We push hard because we want to protect you. You are our greatest asset. You are our future. And we can not afford to lose you.
So, as this school year begins, hear me well. Stay true. Stay you. Stand up. Dream big. Lead strong.
Walk into your school knowing that you are not just another face in the crowd. You are the future leader. You are the next innovator. You are the one who will rise above the noise and change the world.
And we are rooting for you every single step of the way.
Jermaine Edwards, Community Advocate for St. John’s Rural South
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