Horace Hamm, Principal, McNicol Middle School said "I wanted to ensure that our female students were not being left behind and I saw Jobs for Florida's Graduates as an opportunity to make that happen. It is amazing to see the growth in these young ladies. As a principal, my greatest joy is to see our students feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in who they are, what they know and what they do. Students in the program, which just started in August, have already shown improvements in relationships, behavior, academics, and, most importantly, confidence in themselves as they prepare to be college and career ready."
Parents, administration, and friends attended the event. Ms. Pierre went above and beyond to make her ceremony a precious memory that her students will always remember. She created and shared at the ceremony a JFG brief overview for the parents and a special message for her JFG students. Also the eighth grade students in the club recited a poem titled "Don't Quit" while in a circle formation around the auditorium. The club officers are the students holding the sunflower in the photo.
Don't Quit is an inspirational poem that students can refer to whenever they are a bit less motivated. It's a great way to get back on track again whenever they are feeling down, are in a rut or have a block of some kind on the journey. And, remember: "Don't quit!"
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit —
Rest if you must, but don't quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had we stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow —
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a fair and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out —
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, —
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
McNicol Middle is a STEM Magnet School in Hollywood, Florida and is Jobs for Florida’s Graduates’ first all-girl (7th and 8th grade) program. Shenequa Pierre is the JFG Treasure Hunter.