TOMMIE SAYLOR: We never lose hope at Kennedy

“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”

Jonas Salk

By Tommie Saylor

Kennedy High School Principal

In today’s highly technological society, we have grown accustomed to measuring the value of an item, an institution, even a people, by a number. 

In today’s digital age, we try very hard to qualify everything, not by the whole, but by the part.  The value of something or someone can be assigned a number, a digital representation of worth.  Our students, who have grown up in this world, understand the importance of numerical representation. As such, they come to believe these numbers represent their worth. For the most part, these numbers seldom change.

As an educational institution, Kennedy High School defies the numbers. We do not give homage to the numeric representation of a person’s worth, of an institution’s value. 

At Kennedy we do more than just increase student’s numbers (GPA, test scores, earning potential), we give students something that cannot be measured or quantified by a cardinal point.  We give hope.

We teach our students how to bypass the fear of the unknown, maneuver around the fear, and how to dream.  We reveal to our students the potential they possess, and fill them with the confidence required to pursue their dreams in a world crowded with pessimism. 

We don’t give them the delusion that it will be easy. We let them know that chasing dreams is hard; but it is the pursuit that gives their dreams value, and makes their acquisition all the more sweeter.

It has been said, “That hope springs eternal.” Thus it cannot be measured by standardized tests or college exams. It can only be seen in the eyes of our students and in the tears shed at graduation. 

A test can’t conviction and willingness to do whatever it takes to make dreams come true. Hope can be found in the student laughter that fills our halls and the carefree exuberance students display each and every day. 

Hope has become part of our culture, and each student knows that with just a little bit of effort, Kennedy High School will set them before the path of success.

How and where will you lead them. Making Kennedy the school of choice. Excellence by design.