By Monica Brewer & Tori Phippen

At the end of first semester, students were asked by their seminar advisors to write mission statements.  The statements could be about anything.  Most of them were positive and make not only the students but the teachers try harder.

The woman behind the statements was guidance counselor Jennifer Thurston.  She started the mission statements in order to get students “thinking about the bigger picture.”  She wanted students to consider “who they are and what they want people to think of them.”  Thurston said that mission statements “give a direction” for students to work towards and helps further accomplish the goals they set every day.  Thurston hopes that mission statements will help change student behavior.

Junior Kade Nachtman said, “I think it was a good idea to hang up the mission statements out in the commons because it will inspire others to make a mission statement and honor it.” Nachtman said that the mission statements might improve some students’ behavior, but the ones that don’t care won’t improve their behavior. His mission statement is to become a leader and help other do the same. He said, “I think the mission statements will make some people become a better person and not treat people so rudely.” Nachtman said the some students will stick to their mission statements and some students will not stick to their mission statements because some people don’t really care about them as much as others.

The mission statements are displayed in the commons.  You can go read them before school, passing through classes, during lunch, and even after school.  The quotes can further inspire more quotes.  For help building your own mission statement, go to http://www.franklincovey.com/msb/.  Check on http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/65230 for an article on how to write a great mission statement.