Principal’s Corner-- Grit

By Olivia Menold 

Have you ever noticed that one of your peers is struggling? Do you do something about it or sit back and watch? The easy thing to do is nothing, but is that really the right thing to do?

“Grit is a quality that someone possesses and can continue to develop,” said Princeville Jr./Sr. High Principal Rich Thole. “If a person is struggling, they find the strength to persevere in the face of adversity showing strength of character.

Grit is a quality that Thole wants all of his students to possess.  Each day in our school, if true education is taking place, students are challenged and mistakes are being made regularly.  

“Rather than looking at this as a source of frustration...we want them to view this as an opportunity to learn,” said Thole.  “The students possessing “grit” dig deep within to expend the effort and attitude required to revise and improve.”  

Many times when students are faced with challenges, they don’t know how to deal with them. This causes students to take poor paths to overcome those challenges.  Instead, Thole hopes students can use grit to face those problems. 

Students can also use grit to help other classmates. 

“Students need to step up and make a difference by helping and supporting other peers that are struggling,” said Thole. “Our student body is very diverse in their strengths and weaknesses which presents a unique opportunity for all of us.”

Every day, students witness classmates that are either struggling socially, academically, or athletically. They are then faced with a choice; Do they intervene and help become part of the solution, or do they not intervene at all and look the other way. The easy choice is to walk away. The hard choice, the one that requires grit, is to try to help and make a positive difference.