The Resiliency of the American Spirit

Whether it was the attack on Pearl Harbor, the leveling of the Twin Towers, the hurricane that plummeted the New Jersey coast or the tornado that devastated Joplin, Missouri, the American people did what they always do when faced with a natural disaster or a threat to our national security.  They came together, opened their wallets, rolled up their sleeves and fixed the problem.  Stepping up to the plate and making a difference when we are needed is a deeply ingrained value in our nation’s culture, and it is not limited to big, life-changing events.  In our communities, citizens are making a difference every day in less dramatic but important ways.  Having worked in more than three hundred public school districts over the past twenty-five years, I have seen firsthand how they nearly always respond to the educational needs of our children when they are asked to help.  Throughout my career—and to this day—I have seen over and over again the resiliency of the American spirit.  Despite national opinion polls reporting that many people are worried about the future of our country, they continue to step up and make a difference…just like what they are now doing in Charleston, SC.