By Peggy Laurent, Head of The Langley School’s Lower School

When you take the time to look, you see amazing things! In my experience, when you are lucky enough to view something through the eyes of a child, you get to see it with “fresh eyes” as we like to say at The Langley School.

A couple of weeks ago, I was seeking sage advice regarding an assembly program. The first group I wanted to talk to was our fifth-graders because they never let me down. We’ve taught them to be creative and curious, so I know that when I seek their counsel I’m sure to leave with thoughtful suggestions.

I came across Maybe, a wonderful new book that I wanted to share with the children during a Lower School assembly. In it, New York Times best-selling author Kobi Yamada writes about the boundless potential within each of us and shares the idea that if we choose or dare to persevere through hard times, we get to see that potential unleashed. My fifth-grade advisors and I talked about the book’s underlying message. They thought that reading the book was a great idea AND they thought I needed to enlist the help of a classmate who could openly and honestly talk about persevering through a challenge, and ultimately, succeeding beyond his wildest dreams. But most of all, they wanted this assembly to inspire their first-grade little buddies. After talking to these wise fifth-graders, I knew exactly how to proceed with our assembly. 

I hope you enjoy reading George’s “share” from this powerful Lower School assembly. It brought tears to our eyes and joy to our hearts, because this is exactly why we do what we do here at Langley! 

In George’s own words…

As I listened to George speak in front of his peers at the assembly, I saw how confidence grows in children. It’s not by clearing a path for them. Rather, it’s through their own authentic and productive struggle, which sometimes includes failure and fear, coupled with a heaping dose of perseverance.