Grade Seven Farewell Videos and Mr. Borkowski's Address to the Class

This class will always have a special place in my heart.  I’ve spent a lot of time with you over the past four years, but especially this year.  One of my favorite things is coming to your class and just giving some spontaneous talk about whatever is going on.  It can be about anything and you guys are always a great audience, mostly because whatever I’m talking about keeps you away from whatever actual schoolwork you are supposed to be doing.  Here’s the last one you are gonna get.

I’ve heard a lot of insults over the years between kids.  Kids can be mean.  One of the worst things, but also one of the stupidest insults I’ve ever heard is when someone, as an insult, calls someone else, a “try hard”.  Wait what?  Trying hard is a bad thing?

Just to be sure I wasn’t missing some irony or something I looked it up.  According to dictionary.com a “try hard” is a person who participates in a game or other activity with too much enthusiasm, emotion, effort, or commitment.

I’m confused.  Wasn’t this supposed to be an insult?  Enthusiasm, emotion, effort, and commitment.  Those are the hallmarks of happy, successful, hardworking, awesome people.  Actually, if I was to name 4 characteristics of this class, which excelled in everything it did, it would be those 4 things.  You are all a bunch of try hards.  And that is what makes you awesome.  Lean into it.  It works for you.  There is no such thing as too much enthusiasm, effort, emotion, and commitment.  This applies to your school work, your relationships, your extra-curricular activities, and your faith life.  

In high school you are going to be pressured by people around you to conform to their idea of who you are.  They are going to tell you that you need to be cool.  People who call you a “try hard” as an insult do not want what’s best for you.  They want what’s best for them.  They are probably jealous of your success and hard work and want to bring you down.  You don’t need to say anything, just show them what success looks like and offer them an example if they want to know what it takes.   

Now, despite all of your strengths, there are times when you may struggle and fail.  That’s ok.  No successful person ever got through life without failing first.  What separates those who succeed from those who don’t is that the successful keep getting back up when they get knocked down.  They have the enthusiasm, effort, emotion, and commitment to keep going when others would quit.  That is you.

Finally, Grade Sevens, we have given (will be giving) you a Rosary today.  I know that not many of you are currently in the habit of praying the Rosary regularly.  That’s ok.  I hope someday you will.  I can promise you this.  There will be days in high school when you feel upset and sad and don’t know where to turn.  You may be sitting in your room or lying in your bed.  When this happens, I want you to reach to your bedpost or bedside table and pick up that rosary.  Even if you can’t pray, just hold it, and remember there is hope.  There is a God who loves you and feels your pain, and there is a community here at Star of the Sea that you will always belong to.

Congratulations, God Bless, and Good Luck in High School, you bunch of try hards.