For the second time in two weeks, I was pleasantly surprised. To be honest, teenage students are a tough crowd and pretty unforgiving. I am an expert on this having spent twenty years in a high school setting. When I saw that I had a few August jobs of high school assemblies, I was nervous. First, as an administrator, I wouldn't have taken that risk on day one, so I was concerned with letting down the person who booked me. Second, asking 16 year olds to sit for 50 minutes and listen to a stranger is a huge risk, so the pressure was on to deliver something of substance that would keep their interest.
Well, chalk up Wednesday, August 16th as a HUGE win for me at Murrieta Valley High School. In 2 assemblies of 1500 each, the MV student body was phenomenal. They were empathetic, respectful, and really engaged, making me proud of our public school system. This school has succeeded at creating a culture of high expectations that these young men and women embrace. I was relieved when it was over but left pretty blown away by the environment at Murrieta Valley High School.