Uncivil comments in a (supposedly) civil society

NPR – National Public Radio – recently announced that it would no longer accept comments on its website (NPR.org). If you, like me, either don’t know what a Comments section is, don’t read them, or don’t understand the point of such an arena, this decision may not be of much significance. As an educator, however, I feel compelled to celebrate it. One might argue, as one Commenter did, that this decision “suppresses free speech.” First Amendment experts, however, would chortle at this tortured interpretation of the right to free speech since – as is true of the entire Bill of Rights – the intent has always been to prevent our elected government from hampering the people’s right to speak, to assemble, to worship; well, you get the idea. 

I celebrate this decision because an unintended consequence of a Comments section on any website in which people can post anonymously is incivility. Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post had this to say about the typical Commenter on his Blog: “It’s the loudest, often most obnoxious person in the room with the most time to dedicate” who dominates the Comments section.  One could, I suppose, still argue: “Isn’t that an inevitable by-product of free speech?” Yes, but free speech is protected so that the government won’t go after an identifiable person promoting an unpopular opinion – by its very nature anonymity enjoys its own protection. And, it’s the anonymity of uncivil comments which concerns me.  

At La Salle, we spend an enormous amount of time and energy teaching the students entrusted to our care healthy ways of interacting with each other and with adults. A central component of that objective falls under the heading of “civil discourse.” Whether it’s in the classroom, on stage or on the playing field, we expect our students to understand that there is a right way – and a wrong way – to disagree…and there are penalties for choosing the wrong way. Penalties exist because – as any parent knows – teenagers need to learn how to observe boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. And, while one could argue that positive reinforcement is always preferred over negative reinforcement, we need to remind ourselves that there is a reason why we adults try to avoid getting a speeding ticket on the 210 Freeway. Anonymous Commenters have no “down side” boundary maintenance for their obnoxious behavior; and, in the absence of negative reinforcement, they are passively encouraged to continue their inappropriate statements. Here’s why this ought to be a compelling concern: one Commenter on the NPR.org website, for example, had – over time - posted over 32,000 comments (I can’t imagine how one could possibly have that much available time to do that).

I worry about this because we only have four years (parents have, roughly, 22 years) to inculcate in our students a respect for the other – no matter what opinion he or she holds. I’ve noted in this space and elsewhere that the college experience for young people has witnessed a tsunami of political correctness, so much so, that highly regarded professors have been subjected to humiliating shouting matches from people half their age. Ironically, the older I get the more sensitive I become to the acquired wisdom of my elders.  I wish I could have acquired that sensitivity decades ago.

That having been said, I recognize, now, that it is incumbent upon my generation to take responsibility for educating the next generation with respect to the negotiation of the boundaries of acceptable discourse. The problem lies in the inescapable fact that the Internet can undermine every positive lesson in support of civil discourse we seek to share with young people. Therefore, it becomes all the more pressing that we adults “double down” on our responsibility to teach our children the necessary importance of developing a respect for all persons…one of the Five Core Principles of a Lasallian School.

While it is tempting to throw up our hands and conclude that the task is enormous and beyond our capabilities - that would be a mistake. Adults know – all too often through the School of Hard Knocks – that abandoning the enforcement of principles means abandoning our principles as well. La Salle exists, in part, to reinforce at school the values parents seek to instill in their children at home. Together, we can make a stand in favor of civil discourse, not only by establishing the principle, but also by reinforcing and enforcing it. Our young people grew up on easy access to Social Media. Let’s make sure they understand how to use it properly.

The stress was worth it, after all

            Registration Day for the incoming Class of 2019(!) took place only two weeks ago, but the time since has been so hectic that it feels like it was yesterday. It is a stressful time for private high schools because the admission and enrollment process is increasingly taking on the look and feel of what has been happening for years at the college and university level: multiple applications are sent to a variety of schools in the hopes of landing on one’s “Plan A or B” college/university.

Here are some startling statistics: the National Association of College Admission Counselors reports that, although the number of high school graduates has begun to decline (and will continue to do so until 2020), growth in the number of applications per student has increased. NACAC reports that 87% of fall 2010 freshmen submitted three or more applications, and 25% submitted seven or more applications. In addition, a large majority of colleges (73%) reported increased application volume for fall 2010 compared to fall 2009. With few exceptions, approximately three-quarters of colleges have reported increases each year for the past decade.

Unhappily, a similar dynamic is unfolding at the secondary school level; particularly here in the Pasadena area. As the number of school-age children continues to shrink (students going on to high school next fall will be 50% fewer than students graduating from Pasadena-area high schools in May and June), family angst around private high school placements increases. For example, even though La Salle is the largest private high school in the Pasadena area and we received over 400 applications for the Class of 2019, these students were applying, on average, to three other private high schools; meaning that at least a third of those students would end up enrolling at another school.

Happily, the Class of 2019 frustrated the statistical prediction inherent in the data: the incoming freshman class is a mere 9% smaller in number than the senior class who will be graduating in May. And, equally happily, the characteristics of the incoming class are consistent with their older counterparts:

Ø  male/female ratio is 47%/53%

Ø  29/40 applicants who qualified for Regents Merit Scholarships (scoring at or above the 96^th percentile on the Entrance Exam) enrolled

Ø  29% of enrolled students received need-based financial aid (12 students on full tuition-assistance; 11 students on 50% tuition assistance; 24 students on partial tuition-assistance)

Ø  The Class of 2019 came from 50 elementary schools (the largest number of schools in ten years) with 53% coming from 10 schools (7 were private/Catholic schools)

Ø  40% of schools sending students to La Salle are Catholic

Ø  For the first time, three of the top ten “feeder” schools were public middle schools

Ø  54% of students identify as Catholic

Ø  60% of the Class of 2019 identify as other than European descent

Ø  The freshman parent pledge program was wildly successful; bringing in well over $131,000 - the second largest outcome in four out of the last five years

Ø  Equally exciting is that the average gift from parents of the Class of 2019 was just shy of $1,000 - the best performance in 9 years

These statistics boldly proclaim that La Salle is doing just fine in the often chaotic scramble parents endure in achieving their objective of finding the “right” school for their child; which causes me to revisit an interesting finding of the NACAC study. The researchers note that:

Technology also makes it easier for students to apply to multiple colleges, complicating the job of both secondary school counselors and admission officers. The ease of applying to multiple colleges creates disincentives for students to spend time evaluating the “fit” of their college options. And the increased application volume that results makes it more difficult for institutions to predict yield.

So, while the greater Pasadena area continues to experience college-like dynamics in managing their recruitment and enrollment processes and, La Salle, like its private high school counterparts, is increasingly reliant upon technology to facilitate the application process; I am pleased to report that, based on the overwhelming pleasure parents of the Class of 2019 expressed throughout registration day, our School continues to enjoy a home/school dynamic which clearly illustrates that our newest families understand why we are the right “fit” for them.

            I guess the stress of the last two weeks was worth it…

At La Salle its okay to "leap into the dark"

Henry David Thoreau captured, I think, the significance of how transitions work in our lives when he wrote in his journal:

"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success."

Whether it’s a transition from high school to college, one job to another or one location to another, there is always an element of the unknown that shrouds the process by which we move our lives forward. And, while we are often the agents of a transition, we aren’t necessarily its manager. Old patterns of behavior become irrelevant, new people enter our lives and unfamiliar expectations emerge.  While we think we know what lies on the other side of a transition, we really don’t.  At some point in the transition process, we must, as Thoreau so adroitly notes, “leap in the dark.”

                La Salle is in the midst of “leaping in the dark” as we search for a new principal. But that transition must be placed within the context of an extraordinarily exciting and challenging year.  At the very same time that the School is looking for a new principal, we are also in the midst of pursuing public approval for our Campus Master Plan and have successfully concluded the WCEA/WASC accreditation and Strategic Planning processes. All four moments – together - represent a significant transition in the wonderful story of La Salle High School. We are faced with hiring a principal who will, more than likely, preside over a school that – for the first time in its 60 year history – has no Christian Brother present, we are also charting the course of the next ten years through the creation of a Strategic Plan and the implementation of an Educational Improvement Plan (EIP) which is validated by the WCEA/WASC accreditation process (cf. last month’s La Salle Matters in the ParentNewsletter on our website).

                These initiatives require La Salle to “walk consciously…toward our goal” of providing a diversity of opportunities both in and out of the classroom that is unparalleled among its peers (cf. Value Proposition in the Summer 2015 ParentNewsletter).  To accomplish this ambitious goal, we must put the intellectual, financial and physical resources in place which will attract college-preparatory ready, Mission-appropriate, students who represent the economic and demographic characteristics of the San Gabriel Valley. La Salle enjoys a proud history of doing exactly that; but as the “Baby Boom Bust” continues to produce fewer school-age children, we cannot assume that they will find us attractive simply because of what we have done in the past. Rather, we must provide clear evidence to teenagers (and their parents) that they can successfully pursue their passion – whatever it is – here at La Salle. La Salle is known, for example, for its robust four-year Visual and Performing Arts program which annually draws more than two hundred students who are able to, essentially, “major” in one of five artistic disciplines (including our award-winning film and digital media program). Less visible is the four-year Honors program which results in outstanding “pass rates” in over 17 Advanced Placement courses. And, as interscholastic athletics becomes increasingly more competitive in Southern California, we know that our commitment to provide the resources necessary to build a successful sports program at La Salle will produce the kind of success that gets reported in the Pasadena Star-News (cf. the terrific coverage of our Boys Basketball journey to the State Tournament).  I am fond of referring to these elements of the School’s Mission as a “three-legged stool.” The stool (La Salle) cannot remain upright without ensuring that each leg is as strong as the other ones.

                Nevertheless, it will be for the next principal to act as “conductor” of the La Salle “orchestra,” and to support the “leap into the dark of our success.”  It will be up to him – or her – to take advantage of the recommendations found in the highly salutary report of the WCEA/WASC Visiting Committee (stay tuned – next month’s ParentNewsletter will feature a precís of their report). He – or she – will need to assure current and future families entrusted to our care that their children will not only thrive but succeed at La Salle – so much so that there can be little doubt about what college they should attend after graduation. Yes, it’s a daunting challenge – one that was characterized by a member of the Search Committee as “looking for Jesus with an MBA!” That having been said, I am pleased to report that, of the nearly 30 candidates who have expressed interest in the position, eleven fit the profile of the next principal of La Salle (cf. http://www.lasallehs.org/s/639/2col.aspx?sid=639&gid=1&pgid=1600 to read the job description). Consequently, I look forward to the deliberations of the Search Committee and am confident that I will be reporting good news regarding the appointment of the next principal before the end of the school year. Because we are “walking consciously toward our goal,” I do not fear the necessary “leap into the dark of our success.” Rather, I welcome this transition to the next chapter of La Salle’s story.

Assuring quality now and in the future...

               

By the time you read this, we will have concluded our accreditation visit by WCEA/WASC (Western Catholic Educational Association/Western Association of Schools & Colleges). Some might not be aware of the fact that La Salle belongs to two accrediting associations – one is for Catholic schools (WCEA) and one is for private and public schools (WASC).  Because we are, first and foremost, a Catholic school, we care deeply about “measuring up” to the standards of WCEA; but, because we also care deeply about meeting the standards of area private schools with whom we compete for Mission-appropriate students, we belong to WASC as well.  Fortunately for us, both agencies cooperate with each other when it comes to accrediting schools like La Salle who have a foot in more than one educational world.

                As such, we want to make sure that we are authentically Catholic and authentically college-preparatory. Accreditation by WCEA and WASC assures the community we serve that we can deliver on both counts. What does that look like? As Brother Christopher explained to the students this morning, the process involved spending the last eighteen months seeking the opinions of all La Salle constituents (Employees, Parents, Students, Alums, Trustees, Regents and Community representatives) via on-line surveys and various in-person opportunities (such as Parent Association meetings, Governance meetings, Student assemblies and Alumni gatherings) to learn from the people we serve what we do well and what we can do better. These encounters produced hundreds of pages of data which we then examined and synthesized to produce a “snapshot” of what La Salle looks like right now and what it should look like in the next five to ten years.

                What is unique about the process we are experiencing now is that, over the course of roughly the same time frame we also underwent a strategic planning process which focused on six broad initiatives we believe will position La Salle for long-term success in the highly competitive educational marketplace that surrounds the City of Pasadena.  While the two processes are not necessarily in alignment – one seeks to produce a “snapshot” of the current situation; the other makes claims about what the future will look like – they happily overlapped in one particular area: the development of an educational improvement plan designed to ensure that La Salle continues to provide a quality product for the students entrusted to our care.

                To that end, four of the six strategic goals:

1.       Expand and deepen Lasallian formation programs to better articulate the School’s Catholic and Lasallian identity.

2.       Ensure the delivery of a relevant and challenging college preparatory curriculum to address the diverse learning needs of all students.

3.       Strengthen the recruitment of a diverse faculty and staff to better align with a diverse student population.

4.       Strengthen the quality of the student experience outside of the classroom in:

•     Athletics

•     Guidance & Counseling

•     Student Life

became the basis of the WCEA/WASC educational improvement plan, while the last two goals:

5.       Ensure campus facilities effectively support the implementation of the Mission

6.       Ensure sustainability of the Mission through efficient and effective leveraging of Finance, Development and Marketing functions

anchor the Master Plan that is slowly wending its way through the Pasadena city approval process.  We are proud of the synergy created by the alignment of the accreditation, strategic and master planning processes at this particular moment in the School’s history. This alignment tells us that we have “got it right” when it comes to understanding what our community expects of La Salle in terms of delivering a high-quality college preparatory education to the largest and most ethnically and economically diverse student populations in the Greater Pasadena area.

                A fundamental component of the strategic planning process and, implicit in the accreditation process, has been the promotion of this value proposition:

What distinguishes La Salle from the other college-preparatory high schools in the greater Pasadena area is the opportunity for students to nurture their individual passion in academics, the arts, athletics and/or the spiritual life. Because it is the largest private high school in Pasadena, La Salle is able to offer a diversity of opportunities both in and out of the classroom that is unparalleled among its peers.

If one views the four goals of the EIP through the lens of this value proposition, I think it becomes obvious that the “snapshot” we have provided for the WCEA/WASC Visiting Committee and the future we envision for La Salle are not only in alignment, but offer an exciting opportunity to cement our vision of being “the school of choice in the San Gabriel Valley.”

Why I (finally) agree with George Will...

I have to admit it never occurred to me that I would agree with pundit, George Will on anything; but a column he authored just before Christmas (I read him, I just don’t agree with him) caused me to take a second look.  Will’s column focused on the current hot-button issue raging across college and university campuses: whether to define (or not) the limits of free speech.

In it he applauded the leadership of Purdue University for its efforts to receive the top ranking from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) which opposes campus restrictions on speech. This is a particularly thorny issue, in part, because understandable concerns about how to handle hate speech in the Academy have evolved to include “micro-aggressions” (conversational messages that - intentionally or not - denigrate a member of a minority group) and “trigger warnings” (alerting students that an upcoming classroom discussion topic could “trigger” in them painful memories of previously experienced trauma).

In support of his frustration with this galloping trend, Will cites Emerita University of Chicago President Hanna Holburn Gray, who summarized the “Chicago Principle” (supporting free speech on campus) this way: 

"Education should not be intended to make people comfortable, it is meant to make them think.”

 What caused me to give Will’s column a second look was his reference to an amazing turn of events that took place on Yale’s campus last Halloween.  Erika Christakis and her husband, Nicholas, are faculty members and “Masters” of one of Yale’s residential colleges. In response to some student concerns regarding a series of instructions by Yale’s Intercultural Affairs Committee encouraging students to be culturally sensitive in their selection of Halloween costumes (think Prince Harry and the swastika debacle), Christakis sent an email to her students encouraging them to question the rationale for these instructions - largely along the lines of this notion: shouldn’t college-age students be allowed to make their own mistakes? The final sentence of her email summarized her position:

“Whose business is it to control the forms of costumes of young¨ people? It’s not mine, I know that.”

That rather innocuous statement set off a fire-storm of protest by students who were outraged at Christakis’ “insensitivity” to their felt victimization at the hands of “oppressive” attitudes seemingly prevalent throughout the University

Now, if you have hung in with me this long, I want to assure you that this isn’t an academic version of “inside baseball.” What alarmed me - and what caused me to agree with George Will - was what happened next.  In an attempt to mediate the firestorm of protest, Christakis’ husband - and co-Master - Nicholas, a tenured Sociologist and Physician, voluntarily met with concerned students on a nearby quad. It should not be surprising that, given the emotionally charged atmosphere, nothing Dr. Christakis said was going to make a dent in the students’ anger (ignoring whether their anger was, in fact, righteous). What was surprising - indeed astonishing - was the debased quality of their interaction with him. (Check out this link for a brief view of the outrageous interchange: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsgc0k594Js). I will just quote a few statements made by one student - who persistently shouted at Professor Christakis throughout her interaction with him:

“Be quiet! … “Why the f… did you accept the position”… “It is not about creating an intellectual space here” … “You are disgusting.”

After which, she stormed off, leaving the professor without an opportunity to respond…a professor with quite a pedigree - here is a snippet of his Yale Curriculum Vitae:

Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, is co-author of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, which has been translated into nearly twenty foreign languages. He is a sociologist and physician who conducts research in the area of biosocial science, investigating the biological predicates and consequences of social phenomena. He directs the Human Nature Lab at Yale University, where he is appointed as the Sol Goldman Family Professor of Social and Natural Science, and he is the Co-Director of the Yale Institute for Network Science.

So - here’s my issue - assuming that these students (and the one quoted here) have a righteous complaint - how did it come to pass that young people eligible to vote, intellectually gifted college students, individuals attending one of the most elite universities in the United States - found it acceptable to shout, curse and disrespect an accomplished, renowned professor who took the time to engage in a conversation about their concerns regarding an email sent by his wife? As I watched the video of this young woman shouting at Professor Christakis, I wondered what her parents’ reaction was (the video went viral, so I assume they saw it).  I know what my parents’ reaction would have been - get on the next plane home - we’re not paying tuition for you to allow people to think we didn’t raise you to speak respectfully to your elders.

            I worry about trends like this playing out at colleges and universities across the nation (University of Missouri, Wesleyan, University of Illinois, Claremont McKenna College and the University of Michigan, to name a few) which lead to shouting matches self-censorship and forced resignations - and here’s why -  because we here at La Salle devote a great deal of time and energy shaping an intellectual environment in which students not only feel safe to articulate opposing, controversial and even unpopular positions, but - as importantly - to do so with respect for those engaged in the conversation, regardless of their placement on the ideological spectrum.

            I don’t know where this trend of anger-fueled political discourse will take the Academy, but I do know this: we expect our students - and our graduates - to anchor their intellectual debates in the Lasallian values of respect for the individual and a commitment to nurturing a community atmosphere in which no one has the right to shout at another simply because they disagree.

            In support of that principle, George Will and I are on the same page.

---

¨ meaning college-age

Why it's okay to disagree with Pope Francis

For obvious reasons, I can’t resist devoting yet another column to the impact Pope Francis is having on the Catholic Church and the larger secular world it occupies. Needless to say, his amazing trip to the United States sparks my desire to comment in this space.  That having been said, my perspective of his impact isn’t prompted by his ability to draw record breaking crowds, nor is it his role as the first pontiff in history to address both houses of Congress.  Rather, I’m drawn to comment on a little-known, albeit pernicious, incident that was reported by the media back in September and vanished from public attention, as quickly as it surfaced.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) wrote a letter explaining why he planned to boycott the Pope’s address to Congress.  The reason? Climate change.  Here is his explanation:

“Media reports indicate His Holiness … intends to focus the brunt of his speech on climate change… If the Pope stuck to standard Christian theology, I would be the first in line… But to promote questionable science as Catholic dogma is ridiculous…. If the Pope plans to spend the majority of his time advocating for flawed climate change policies, then I will not attend.”

I am troubled by three assertions Congressman Gosar makes.  The first:

If the Pope stuck to standard Christian theology, I would be the first in line

Ignoring the hubris inherent in the Congressman’s implication that he knows “standard” Christian theology at least as well as the Pope, I wonder if he has ever consulted the website of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which articulates this, seventh, principle of Catholic social teaching (i.e. “standard” Christian theology):

Care for God's Creation:

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

Those of us (myself included) who have taught Catholic social teaching within the context of a high school Religion classroom can easily assert that students and adults alike can disagree with respect to how we care for the earth, but all recognize – as a part of “standard” Christian theology that we must care for the earth. Which leads me to my next issue with Congressman Gosar’s complaint:

“But to promote questionable science as Catholic dogma is ridiculous”:

If Gosar is laying claim to knowledge about Catholic dogma, he might want to check his sources. In fact, according to one religious scholar, the faithful are only required to accept those teachings as dogma, if the Church clearly and specifically identifies them as infallible dogmas (i.e. incapable of error). There are 255 dogmas considered infallible by the Catholic Church and none of them reference Climate Change, its causes, effects or validity. In short, Representative Gosar – who is Jesuit-educated and considers himself a proud Catholic – mistakes the Pope’s challenge that Christians should care for the environment (a position Popes John Paul II and Benedict XI also promoted) for an arcane theological distinction that is as wide of the mark as his misunderstanding of “standard” Christian theology.  Which leads me to my last issue with the Congressman’s decision to boycott the Pope’s speech:

“If the Pope plans to spend the majority of his time advocating for flawed climate change policies, then I will not attend.”

“If”???  

Really? You mean he doesn’t know what – or even if the Pope will be “advocating for flawed climate change policies”? The Congressman boycotted the speech because he assumed that the Pope would be tackling this issue in a meaningful way. He assumed that the Pope would be arguing in favor of a position in opposition to the Congressman’s. He assumed that he would find himself in disagreement with the Pope and so could not bring himself to attend an historic occasion in which he could, at the very least, get a better understanding of the Pope’s vision for the Church in America…all because of one disputed hot-button issue.

                Any La Salle freshman can tell you what’s wrong with Congressman Gosar’s approach – the whole process of intellectual inquiry demands that attention is paid to opposing viewpoints. Walk into any Humanities classroom at La Salle and you will encounter robust debates in which the words “Yes, but…” dominate the exchange between students and teachers. We tell our students that to hold one position without understanding the other view is intellectually dishonest and we don’t accept assumptions that aren’t grounded in a careful examination of the contrary argument. We expect our students to hold competing views. We also expect them to not only defend their position but to attend to the opposing viewpoint. Why?  Because intellectual growth and development is nurtured in the Petri dish of opinion, argument and debate. Absent that set of conditions and the kind of stalemate that has paralyzed Congress for the better part of a decade becomes the norm. Shouting replaces authentic debate. Truth is defined as “my position.” Compromise becomes impossible.

                As saddened as I am by Congressman Gosar’s myopic view of Pope Francis’ moral and intellectual leadership, I am all the more encouraged by the rigor of the classroom experience our students encounter on a daily basis. I am quite confident that when they leave La Salle, they will be well on their way to becoming intellectually curious adults who recognize that “Truth” is to be sought, not defined and that there is great value in seeking out opposing views.

                I think Pope Francis would agree.

Let us remember...

Let us remember…that we are in the holy presence of God.

                Anyone associated with La Salle - actually with any Lasallian school in the 83 countries in which the Christian Brothers are to be found - will immediately recognize this salutation. It begins the prayer at the start of the school day, it begins every class, it launches administrative and faculty meetings, indeed, it is even to be found at the start of athletic contests. It is so ubiquitous that I am fond of telling the story of one La Salle alum who decided to find out how many graduates of Lasallian schools were eating lunch in his college cafeteria.  So he stood on a chair and shouted out the first part of the salutation and, not surprisingly, received, in return, the second part of the response from throughout the room.  Needless to say, he struck up quite a few new friendships as a result.

                So, I was delighted to be in attendance at our recent Junior Class Leadership Ceremony, in which the students are presented with various symbols of their newly acquired status as Upperclassmen, to hear Aly Hartman ’17 and Jonny Clarizio ’17 not only begin their student presentation to their classmates and their parents with this salutation but to then expound on its significance for them as they described their journey at La Salle. It’s one thing to shout the salutation out in a crowded cafeteria as a way of identifying those who share the experience of life in a Lasallian school; it is quite another to get up in front of your teenage peers and expound on its actual significance in your day-to-day life.  Aly began her portion of the talk with this elegant, but simple observation:

The presence of God is a tricky thing to address.

Indeed. Adults can certainly empathize with her observation. After all Aly and Jonny – quite naturally - expect their parents and teachers to help them understand the work of God’s hand in their lives. Little do they know that we find talking about the presence of God just as tricky as they do. Yet, it was ever thus…children become adults only to find that understanding the presence of God is as tricky in adulthood as it was during their adolescence. Still, it is their adolescent belief in the transparency of life’s events which sustains their sense of wonder that God is present even in the smallest of details. How do they come to trust that, because of the presence of God, their world makes sense? Here’s Jonny’s explanation:

I experienced the presence of God every time I stepped onto the football field.  I felt the presence of God in each of those friends and each of the coaches. La Salle became a place where the

presence of God was present every day for me.

Aly echoed Jonny’s description of the close-knit quality of the ways in which his teammates interacted with each other by noting what happens when her fellow actors gather just before a show opens:

Standing in a circle, holding hands and praying with thirty people that I had begun to consider as family made me realize I wanted to be a positive asset in the lives of those around me.

Listening to these two remarkable young people describe their essential trust in the presence of God and attributing it to their experience of life at La Salle was not only humbling but challenging at the same time. I am humbled to think that we can nurture such a profound experience of God’s presence that teenagers can name clearly quotidian moments as examples.  At the same time, I am challenged to support my colleagues - who faithfully deliver the Mission every day – by providing the resources they need to be their best selves in and out of the classroom. And in being their best selves, they create the conditions that nurture trust in the presence of God which the young people entrusted to our care deserve to take for granted. Aly described this dynamic even more eloquently:

We often forget God in the simple times.  It is typical for us to only turn to Him in times of need or in times of triumph. Yet it is in the most mundane of moments of our lives that we

develop the most in the hands of the Lord.

Aly and Jonny remind me of that wonderful translation of Matthew 21:16 – “out of the mouths of babes…” This year’s Junior Leadership Ceremony showcased two special teenagers who encouraged this world-weary adult to pay attention to the myriad ways in which La Salle High School creates a nurturing space for them in order to develop an appreciation for the hand of God in their lives. Saint John Baptist de La Salle probably did not realize that - centuries later - the priorities he set for the early Brothers would so powerfully impact young people when, in the 1718 edition of his Rule, he stressed the importance of:

…giv(ing) the greatest attention they can to the holy presence of God

and will take care to renew it from time to time

The 2015 Annual Report is replete with examples of how De La Salle’s Mission to instill a sense of the presence of God continues to play itself out here in Pasadena. I encourage you to review the accomplishments of the Class of 2015 in order to see for yourself how they have blossomed over the course of four years. And, lastly, thank you for so generously supporting the Mission so that our young people can discover the presence of God on a daily basis.