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Take time to remind children of their worth

3 min read

Lady Bird Johnson, one of the most influential first ladies of the United States, once said, “Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.”

As with so many of her memorable quotes, there is so much truth in her sentiment.

Too often, we are easily wrapped up in what we think is wrong with our youth in today’s always-changing and ever-challenging world. Sometimes, it is harder to stay focused on what is right despite it being most important to do so.

Recently, several youths from our area made headlines for their actions. They were not actions of bullying or making threats or performing below the state average on mandated assessment tests.

Instead, these children were acknowledged for things they did right.

Last week, staff members from Fayette County Emergency Management Agency traveled to Brownsville Area Elementary School to reward a 6-year-old boy in front of his peers after he, some days before, jumped into action to save his great-grandmother’s life as she was having a stroke in her home.

Anthony Malone, who is in the first grade, dialed 911 and was able to remain calm enough to give the essential important to dispatchers to summons help for his great-grandmother, who is now expected to make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, across the county in Connellsville, a group of cadets has been praised for learning the values of respect, integrity and honor.

Recently, the U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Falcon Battalion of Connellsville Area High School earned Honor Unit with Distinction from the U.S. Army Cadet Command through the JROTC Program for Accreditation.

This is the highest award presented to military youth programs — and it was given to 74 youths right from our area.

Connellsville is one of two schools (with Albert Gallatin) in Fayette County to offer Army JROTC and among eight in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Lt. Col. Eric Sheetz, Senior Army Instructor for the Connellsville program, said he told the cadets to “make it happen,” and they did. This is a prime example of what Johnson meant when she spoke her words.

When we take the time to remind our youth that we believe in them, great things can happen. Sometimes those reminders come in the home. Sometimes they don’t. But they can come from the baseball field, church group, school and other outside activities.

Whether we are parents or not, each one of us is given the opportunity to remind children of their worth and abilities at some point in our lives. Sometimes, perhaps all it would take is a pat on the back, a handshake for a job well done or just a minute to sit and listen to be the encouragement for them, often at a very early age like Anthony, to choose the right path when they find themselves at the crossroads.

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