Southwest High School – Page 2 – Once a Raider… Always a Raider

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PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

AAmazing Raider families,

“Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty,” ~Theodore Roosevelt~

In today’s society where things are conducted in an easier way, we sometimes forget that when we face challenges and adversity, and overcome them, we gain this perspective of, “If I can survive that, then I can do anything.” The summer of 2021 was one of the most difficult times in my life, maybe the most difficult. School was out and summer just started. I received a call from HR that my head custodian had passed away overnight. I thought she was joking; it turns out she was right. And I had to plan a memorial service for this amazing individual so that staff could say goobye. A week later, I called my sister to finalize the details of our Lake Tahoe trip, and she informs me that she has been admitted to the hospital that morning after she took herself to the emergency for tingling in her left arm. She was informed by the attending neurosurgeon that she had a condition called ossified longitudinal ligament of the spine, a condition that was only found in Asian women. This meant that the ligament that held the C3-C6 section of the spine had become bone spur and it protruded into the spinal cavity and attached to the spinal cord. The neurosurgeon said that she needed surgery immediately but that there was a 45% chance of her becoming quadruplegic. I remember being in the hospital with her, her daughter and my brother. We were trying to help her make the decision and all she could think about was that she might not be alive to see her daughter get married in August. So, in that room, I planned a wedding for my niece and her fiancee in 24 hours so that she could focus on making a decision about the surgery. At the same time, my husband went home to Lexington, KY to see his family as he typically did prior to COVID. His dad became sick and ended up dying within several weeks. A funeral had to be planned and our family went to Lexington to support him. Additionally, there were a lot of other challenging conflicts that amplified that heaviness of that moment in my life. And I still had to be the principal as students returned for the first time since the pandemic started. To say that it was a challenging time in my life is an understatement. My sister was not operated on until October. I was her person that had to take her to all her doctor’s visits, pre and post operation. The neck region of her spine is now encased in titanium. Although she lost a little mobility in being able turn her neck, she is very much alive. My family is finally moving past my father-in-law’s death. Those in my inner circle knew the burden I carried in those six months and the rest of that school year. In looking back, I draw strength from that time any time I face challenges now. I am definitely more compassionate now. Challenging moments in our lives, either personally or professionally, make us stronger. Students, when I hear you say, “I don’t like school or I don’t like that class, that is why I ditch,” you are taking the easy way out. You display strength by doing that which you do not like or is a challenge to you. You have many fellow classmates who are currently facing really difficult life challenges, yet they are still making sure that are getting good grades in both scholarship and citizenship. Challenges are part of life. If you want to be a stronger person in the future, you have to face the challenge and not run away from it. As we finish the first quarter, look inside and reflect on how you did at school in the first nine weeks. Is this where you imagined yourself to be? If yes, continue on your path. If not, you have a decision to make to face the challenge you are now in, ask for help, use that help and improve your school situation. You are stronger than what you think. And even stronger when you overcome the challenges you are currently in.

Have a great week,

Easter Finley, Principal