Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself – and be lenient to everybody else. – Henry Ward Beecher

Today we mourn the passing of an old friend by the name of Common Sense. Common Sense lived a long life but died from heart failure at the brink of the millennium. No one really knows how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He selflessly devoted… Read more »

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them. – George Bernard Shaw

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. – Walter Bagehot

1. Be grown up, which means, be independent, take responsibility for yourself. When you step out, take risks, and succeed some people may be envious or fearful that they’re “losing” the former you. This can cause them to be critical of your new aspirations and plans. They become “dream stealers.” When you are overly concerned… Read more »

I Corinthians 13:7 Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love always Protects- We need to strengthen others by keeping our discussion confidential. God places gossip along with infidelity and murder. To become trustworthy we need to refrain from sharing things that were given in confidence. Love always Trusts- We need to… Read more »

8th-grade project given high marks nationally. Maria Kopicki teaches her eighth-grade law class at Avondale Middle School. A sexual harassment policy written by students in Kopicki’s class four years ago is making a name for itself nationally. BY LORI HIGGINS- FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER Danielle Shapiro knew what to do when, as an eighth-grader three… Read more »

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

The most important persuasion tool you have in your entire arsenal is integrity. Zig Ziglar People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses. Dr. Laura Schlessinger Don’t worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your character. Integrity is its own reward. Dr. Laura Schlessinger Integrity without… Read more »

Whether it’s dinner at a friend’s house or a business meeting over lunch, we judge people based on their table manners. But what can you do if your kids are burping and slurping their way through dinner? Dr. Alex Packer, psychologist and the author of How Rude! A Teenagers Guide to Good Manners, Proper Behavior,… Read more »