A fond childhood memory around this time was watching my father prepare for the garden plot he would rent. He would reserve a spot of land a few blocks from home and plant his very own garden. Our family would reap the benefits of his efforts with snap peas, green beans, tomatoes, and corn. Regularly, we would be called by him to head to the garden to weed, tend, and care for the plants. As I grew older, I realized the attention to detail and care given to the garden directly impacted the results we would experience. Putting forth care and love for the plants is similar to what we do every day at Antioch Community High School.
Teaching is like gardening. Our students are the crops for which we care. We are constantly watering them with knowledge and providing the sunlight of wisdom as learning penetrates their soil and we watch them grow. Your efforts are working! This “garden” of learners at ACHS is growing every day, performing at high levels, and flourishing. This is due to providing attention to our “crops”, our efforts at providing “water and sun”, and our care in talking to them and building lasting relationships. The evidence of this growth is both in and out of the classroom. Our wrestling team continues to flourish and succeed; our dance and cheer teams continue their tradition of excellence; and our basketball programs are building new traditions every day. In the classroom, our students are continually impressive and making us all very proud. Additionally, they are busy preparing for the Spring assessments of the PSAT9, PSAT10, and the SAT.
A garden does not succeed without loving care and attention. As we progress towards the end of the school year, make sure you are taking care of yourself and those around you. Soon, we will be preparing for graduation and the end-of-school-year “harvest” of the fruits of our labors: student learning!
Eric Hamilton
Principal
Antioch Community High School
