Chosen: The Small Moment That Changes Everything

This week marked our first full week on campus mentoring and coaching, and it was exciting to finally get to work with students we’ll be walking alongside throughout the school year.

From Monday through Friday, our leaders are on campus leading mentor circles with 52 students, while our coaches are investing in another 17 students through cross country and girls basketball. It has been a great week of reconnecting with students, meeting new ones, and introducing them to the leaders who will consistently show up for them throughout the year.

One of our favorite moments came when we gathered a group of 6th graders to introduce ourselves and let them know that next week, their mentor circle would officially begin.

We explained that we lead groups during lunch where students get to talk about life, conflict, and who they want to become.

Then I told them why we had chosen them.

“We picked you because you’re the dean’s favorite students.”

Immediately, one of the boys' faces lit up. He started dancing and dapping up his friend, celebrating the fact that he had been chosen.

It was a small moment, but it captured so much of why we do this work.

The reality is that our students struggle. They face challenges at school, at home, in their relationships, and within themselves. But their struggles don't make them any less worthy of being known, valued, or believed in.

So instead of constantly reminding students about everything they're doing wrong, we want to remind them of something different:

You are chosen.
You are wanted here.
We believe there is something good in you.

That small shift can change everything.