AND FINALLY...
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from an address that was presented in January at the Leadership Banquet, a gathering of the most promising candidates for admission into the Class of 2017. Eric Poole ’08, the presenter, graduated from Michigan in 2012 and has started Medical School at Wayne State.
Respect, Integrity, Character, EXCELLENCE
One of the many SMART goals (which stand for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) I had for myself at Brother Rice was simple: exude excellence. I didn’t know how I would make it happen, or even what it would look like, I simply wanted to make my parents proud. In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the 10,000-hour theory, where successful people like Steve Jobs, The Beatles, Michael Jordan, and other notables put in long hours to become extremely proficient in whatever their craft might be. It takes hard work and honesty – to yourself, first and foremost. Clearly, I have yet to reach the greatest, like MJ, and I’m nowhere near being the Surgeon General, but I am working my way to the top. I have dreams of one day becoming a physician. That dream was born while taking Honors Biology my sophomore year with Mr. Hoch – the best science instructor I’ve ever had, even through college. Hoch made the material make sense and, as a result, I enjoyed learning. Because of him and his influence, I knew I wanted to commit myself to a life of science and work toward promoting and restoring human health. My 10,000- our log began in Old Monastery Hall. This is h a quiet place at Brother Rice where I would complete last-minute preparation to begin my day and return at the end of the day to organize and reflect before heading home. This was my private time, which allowed me to really know my stuff. These habits gave me an edge when it came to understanding class material and doing well academically. Excellence… Will you give your all to be great? You have to want it just as bad as you want to breathe. I refused to let the small things hinder me from excellence. Being inducted into the National Honor Society was the result of extensive preparation and my ability to set SMART goals. I learned to be honest with myself and do what I said I was going to do. I learned to “walk the talk.” Young men, be excited. You have been given an excellent opportunity to attend an outstanding Christian school. Take pride in knowing that from the moment you walk into Brother Rice and years beyond, you will walk with people of morals, people of discipline and, most of all, people of God. The greatest person to v?F??2V'F?v2?W7W2??b??RF??( ?B???r????&R&VG?F?vWB7V??FVB?W7F&?6?&V?F???6???Bv?F?W72F?Rw&VBF???w2?R6??Bv???F?f?"??R??Rv?VB&?V?Bv?F??rF???RV??R&WGFW"?B?R?FRF?RV?F??FR67&?f?6RF??V?W2???F?R&?FR????W'6V?b&V6W6R??b??RF??( ?B?F?V?????RV?6Rv????v?B???B?b?Vv7?v?????R?VfS?2v?F????6R6?B?( ?&RF?R6??vRF?B??R??RF?6VR?( ??fR?W7W2???W"?V'G2(
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