When I think of Consortium, I don’t think of head officials or top leaders. The people who make up Consortium are the school bus drivers, the cafeteria staff, coaches, counselors, teachers, technicians, custodians, latch-key staff – they are the puzzle-piece holders, the “backbone” of Consortium, to whom I give credit for my being able to sustain and make it to where I am today.

Attending Consortium, I gained a true understanding of what character, discipline and perseverance really mean in the real world. Consortium has taught me that nothing in life comes without a price tag. As a great friend of mine says, “You have to earn it!” When my situation looks bigger than I can handle, I think of the school bus driver who picked my brain just to make sure I was taking school seriously. He would then tell me “Man, you are gonna be somebody important one day!” When my situation is staring me down, I know I have every bit of “backbone” to keep me standing strong and moving forward.

So, when you face students who don’t seem to care, who don’t realize how important it is to be the best they can be; who don’t appreciate the opportunities before them; who don’t recognize that you are pouring out every ounce of your heart to help them; who don’t see how much you love helping the young face that reached out to know more about what you are passionate enough to teach; when it seems you are only talking to yourself and no one is listening, remember – I listened.

If you can affect just one life, give advice that may save one life, be support to one person who needs you, then your job is not in vain and you are just as important as every other piece in this puzzle. You can change the world through a student who is listening.