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I want to give you a special welcome to our Esperanza Elementary blog as we take our journey to found the school of our dreams. I invite you to visit us often and offer any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, questions, comments, etc. you might have.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Appreciating Esperanza




As I listened this morning to the BYU Devotional speech given by Pres. Samuelson and his wife I felt there were many things that applied to how I hope we will feel about Esperanza. 

President Cecil O. Samuelson and his wife, Sharon, addressed students Tuesday morning—January 10, 2012-- in the BYU Marriott Center in the winter semester opening devotional. They told students why they appreciate BYU and encouraged them to be stronger in their studies.

 “We love the people we meet at BYU,” Sister Samuelson said. “This includes, of course, the students, faculty, staff and administration, but also the many loyal supporters, donors and friends who contribute in such significant and diverse ways.”

President Samuelson expressed his appreciation and love for the ‘Spirit of the Y,’ and the beauty and functionality of the campus, including the miracles that have produced so many significant facility developments.

Sister Samuelson reminded students of the mission statement of BYU and its dramatic difference from other university mission statements. The mission of Brigham Young University is to assist individuals to achieve the aims of a BYU education which are to be spiritually strengthening, intellectually enlarging, character building and leading to lifelong learning and service

We have promised to be honest in all of our dealings, treat others and the institution with respect, and be personally responsible for all dimensions of our conduct and behavior.

President and Sister Samuelson also expressed appreciation for the mentoring opportunities at BYU and asked students to make it a priority. They also urged students to better understand the importance of studying for their classes.  Sister Samuelson said the president has mentioned that some students seem shocked about the expectation that they will spend at least two hours studying and preparing outside of class for every hour in class.  “What that specific preparation is and how you study will vary,” she said. “What will not change, however, is that it is impossible for you to get all you can from your classes and course work if you do not make the necessary independent effort to read, study, think, read and study some more both before and after class.”

It becomes clearer to me that this [BYU] is a very special place. We have not yet achieved our full possibilities but we have made progress. If our potential will be realized, then we should be confident and committed to doing our parts, individually and collectively, to make it so.

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