The Communicator - 2012-2013 Fall (pdf) - Pennsville School District

Lastly on GREATNESS..........
It’s easy to be great because we live in the United States of America and all of us have access to more
resources than any other country in the world. But given that, many people won’t even try.
Greatness is all around us. It’s easy to be great because people will help you. I’ve seen this time and time
again at the Pennsville School District. Teachers helping students, teachers helping teachers, administrators
helping administrators and students helping other students.
I’ve had many mentors in my life, the most important and impressive was my Father, Woody Jones. I want to
publicly thank my Father for all he has done for me. Woody, your sacrifices and lessons have made me the
man I am today.
Speaking of greatness, I want to mention the examples of four student-athletes who I had the privilege of
teaching and coaching, and who have gone on to teach and coach – Mr. JB Cooksey, Mr. Ryan Wood, Mr. Jim
Harvey, and Mr. Jamy Thomas. I could mention many more former students.
All four are dedicated to the students of PMHS and committed to the success of our student-athletes. Each has
become a “student of the game.” All four believe in destiny, have been patient, have studied the game, have
gathered information, and have been mentored. JB, Ryan, Jim and Jamy, I am proud of your
accomplishments!
Class of 2012, where should you go after graduation? What should you do? It takes hard work and many
things have to be done…..But first, find a mentor. Great people will help you with no expectations that they
be paid or that you should help them. They’ll help you for free or you can access their expertise and life’s
work by buying their book.
So find your passion; pursue it and along the way, find a mentor or two or three, who will share!
In summary, Class of 2012..........Believe you have a destiny; you can control how you get there. If you believe
you have a destiny and that there is plan for you, then You will be patient. And, ask for help – find a mentor.
The “great ones” will gladly share; all you have to do is ask.
I’d like to end with a thought by John Wooden, longtime UCLA basketball coach, who believed that it was
never as much about the ends as it was about the means. Coach Wooden said this:
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are,
while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
I wish the best to you the Class of 2012!
Mark T. Jones, Ed.D.