Can we all just get along

So many amazing occurrences in the life of a high school principal. Last week alone, state track meet on Saturday, PTA meeting on Monday, meeting with seniors on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, band Spring Concert on Friday and ROTC Ball on Saturday. When does it end? Graduation? The Summer? Maybe July vacation.

Every event has its own unique appeal. So many say, "Wright, you shouldn't do all that....you should share the wealth." Even when I try to share the activities with my administrators, who often attend also, I still find something tugging at me to "be there; be present; be supportive."

No one could have replayed for me the the true depth of what I saw at the event last night.

Our band director decided to have a FREE band concert. I thought he was insane, but having the entry be a canned good being donated to the Clara White Mission, was a way to help our children give back to our community. So I supported his choice. Each day as I read the announcement during our morning routine I thought, wow, he has to be kidding me; "a mass band performance by the Andrew Jackson Tigers, Ed White Commanders, William M. Raines Vikings and Ribault Trogans." Their vision became a reality last night. I found out the performance was the brainchild of one of the Drum Majors. He made the request, the Band Director made it happen.

I was so overcome by excitement while sitting there I thought I would SCREAM. The auditorium easily had 500 people: parents, students and faculty, all from sister schools---all in the name of music. Well, words are not adequate in my vocabulary to express how powerful the Grand Finale really was. All four schools marched, danced, played, twirled...in synchronation. They were all TIGERS. Not to slight their high schools, but they showed that rival schools, in the same place at the same time can "all just get along." They were one....a real "We are the world" performance.

Of course the media was not there (yes they were invited) to capture the coehsiveness of this group. They were not there to see the students as one family. They were not their to capture them walking out hand-in-hand congratulating each other on a fabulous performance, proudly displaying their preferred HBCU paraphenalia. They weren't there to see the joy that eminated throughout the event. They weren't there to see the peace.

You must know us, all of us, to appreciate what this post really means. You must know us to love us.