Burlington High School
Burlington, Kansas
Teacher: Devra Parker
Excellence: The Inner You
By Jackie Stewart
12th grade
Have you ever thought of what made a person successful? Is it luck? Is it misfortune? Have you ever thought it was just a coincidence? Think it not, for some people, it might be so. If you truly think about it, it can be excellence. I believe that excellence is the movement or strive to become something. A goal that one can reach with his or her own true ability to get out there and make something of one’s self.
Think about it. How did Bush or Clinton become President of the United States of America? How did Beethoven or Kid Rock become well known artists in the music world? How did the Mona Lisa become a famous panting? None of this is pure luck. There is more to it than beats the eye. Excellence was playing a part in that the entire time. Excellence was there after Leonardo Da Vinci panted her. When he died, the painting became famous. Bush won the election because there was more than luck there. The same goes for every person.
Most Americans usually overlook it. There are few that recognize it but still do not understand the meaning. Most of those people are abandoning Excellence. They have no faith in themselves and the people around them. Excellence can be a factor in everything. People in general do not give credit where it is needed. Excellence can be the leading factor at winning a game; most people say “that was only luck.” Sure, luck can play a part, but there would be no luck without Excellence playing its role. It can be the leading factor on whether or not one gets a passing grade in school or on a paper.
I believe that if people do not recognize it, that Excellence will die out completely. We, as a society, need it to survive. We need it to continue on with inventions or life. If we do not have it, then our way of life will be destroyed. This so-called “thing” helps with every aspect that happens. Excellence for our society is what happens when a bad event in life turns good. Excellence causes the learning experience before, during, and after it.
Excellence is tracked through this great country’s history. When it is tracked, major events seem to become less and less but Excellence is still trying to stay around. Most recent events are finally showing the effects on the world. Written all over it is the word EXCELLENCE. The events I am talking about started with September 11, 2001. Major events still are occurring while people are sitting around being depressed, making a name for themselves, living their lives, homeless, or just being themselves.
What is happening now that shows excellence for those individual people and will for the country? The Presidential Elections are going on. The next president will carry not just the outcome of what excellence will show to other countries from ours but his own to the people of the United States as well.
September 11, 2001. What comes to mind when we read that? The one thought is The Twin Towers going down. I personally saw them when I was younger so like everyone else, I was hit hard by the shock and disbelief that something can happen like it. The only factor is that some event can happen to effect everyday life. Excellence showed itself then and is still showing itself now. It is saying to the world that America can get through it, regardless of how much she is hurting, that we will stay strong for those people. Excellence, in this case, is the ability to recover so quickly. The second time they were attacked brought them down to rubble, but made us as a whole, closer and stronger.
Other most recent events, include the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are showing that we will go through and take on what is bad in these countries. Excellence is showing in a way that did not back in Vietnam. In this case it is showing mainly through Iraq. It is the fact that they are slowly becoming a democratic county. That is the Excellence showing for both our parts.
Excellence can be shown many different ways. In the war it is showing that it has a cause and will be won in the end, unlike the Vietnam War where it was a war with no cause and nothing won in the end. September 11: Excellence is showing itself trough the people who tried to save the lives of those who were there and through the ones who died there by being a sacrifice for the United States of America. At the Pentagon we see excellence through the ones that were also killed there or through the people that help repair the building. Above all, there are those who knew someone involved, whether it was family, friends or themselves.
Rolfe Carawan said in his book Profiles in Character “True excellence begins deep inside, with commitment to bring to bear all of one’s resources on an object, to make the absolute most of everything one has to work with. It is holding to that personal commitment when everyone else is slacking off, tacking shortcuts or settling for less just to get by. It is overcoming the deadening tendency toward mediocrity and half heartedness- giving everything you’ve got and going for broke. And once you experience it, you will never be the same.”
I agree with what he has said. Before and after is always different. It always changes a person one way or another. The only downfall to that is no one seems to put the full effort to go through with it. Most try and go so far and quit, not realizing how close they are or how wonderful it feel afterwards. That is why Excellence is disappearing in America.
Burlington High School
Burlington, Kansas
Teacher: Devra Parker
Excellence: The Inner You
By Jackie Stewart
12th grade
Have you ever thought of what made a person successful? Is it luck? Is it misfortune? Have you ever thought it was just a coincidence? Think it not, for some people, it might be so. If you truly think about it, it can be excellence. I believe that excellence is the movement or strive to become something. A goal that one can reach with his or her own true ability to get out there and make something of one’s self.
Think about it. How did Bush or Clinton become President of the United States of America? How did Beethoven or Kid Rock become well known artists in the music world? How did the Mona Lisa become a famous panting? None of this is pure luck. There is more to it than beats the eye. Excellence was playing a part in that the entire time. Excellence was there after Leonardo Da Vinci panted her. When he died, the painting became famous. Bush won the election because there was more than luck there. The same goes for every person.
Most Americans usually overlook it. There are few that recognize it but still do not understand the meaning. Most of those people are abandoning Excellence. They have no faith in themselves and the people around them. Excellence can be a factor in everything. People in general do not give credit where it is needed. Excellence can be the leading factor at winning a game; most people say “that was only luck.” Sure, luck can play a part, but there would be no luck without Excellence playing its role. It can be the leading factor on whether or not one gets a passing grade in school or on a paper.
I believe that if people do not recognize it, that Excellence will die out completely. We, as a society, need it to survive. We need it to continue on with inventions or life. If we do not have it, then our way of life will be destroyed. This so-called “thing” helps with every aspect that happens. Excellence for our society is what happens when a bad event in life turns good. Excellence causes the learning experience before, during, and after it.
Excellence is tracked through this great country’s history. When it is tracked, major events seem to become less and less but Excellence is still trying to stay around. Most recent events are finally showing the effects on the world. Written all over it is the word EXCELLENCE. The events I am talking about started with September 11, 2001. Major events still are occurring while people are sitting around being depressed, making a name for themselves, living their lives, homeless, or just being themselves.
What is happening now that shows excellence for those individual people and will for the country? The Presidential Elections are going on. The next president will carry not just the outcome of what excellence will show to other countries from ours but his own to the people of the United States as well.
September 11, 2001. What comes to mind when we read that? The one thought is The Twin Towers going down. I personally saw them when I was younger so like everyone else, I was hit hard by the shock and disbelief that something can happen like it. The only factor is that some event can happen to effect everyday life. Excellence showed itself then and is still showing itself now. It is saying to the world that America can get through it, regardless of how much she is hurting, that we will stay strong for those people. Excellence, in this case, is the ability to recover so quickly. The second time they were attacked brought them down to rubble, but made us as a whole, closer and stronger.
Other most recent events, include the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are showing that we will go through and take on what is bad in these countries. Excellence is showing in a way that did not back in Vietnam. In this case it is showing mainly through Iraq. It is the fact that they are slowly becoming a democratic county. That is the Excellence showing for both our parts.
Excellence can be shown many different ways. In the war it is showing that it has a cause and will be won in the end, unlike the Vietnam War where it was a war with no cause and nothing won in the end. September 11: Excellence is showing itself trough the people who tried to save the lives of those who were there and through the ones who died there by being a sacrifice for the United States of America. At the Pentagon we see excellence through the ones that were also killed there or through the people that help repair the building. Above all, there are those who knew someone involved, whether it was family, friends or themselves.
Rolfe Carawan said in his book Profiles in Character “True excellence begins deep inside, with commitment to bring to bear all of one’s resources on an object, to make the absolute most of everything one has to work with. It is holding to that personal commitment when everyone else is slacking off, tacking shortcuts or settling for less just to get by. It is overcoming the deadening tendency toward mediocrity and half heartedness- giving everything you’ve got and going for broke. And once you experience it, you will never be the same.”
I agree with what he has said. Before and after is always different. It always changes a person one way or another. The only downfall to that is no one seems to put the full effort to go through with it. Most try and go so far and quit, not realizing how close they are or how wonderful it feel afterwards. That is why Excellence is disappearing in America.
No Answers To Questions Re: Required Reading
Disqualified For Prizes