Becoming Who You Were Meant to Be: An eighth grader’s remarkable transformation

At Lafayette Classical Academy (LCA), we don't celebrate an eighth-grade graduation; we celebrate something even more important.

In this episode, Katy McKinney shares the meaning behind LCA’s Eighth Grade Recognition Ceremony, one of the most memorable traditions at the school. More than an academic milestone, this evening reflects years of growth in virtue, courage, gratitude, humility, and character.

Katy also tells the remarkable story of one eighth-grade student whose journey from fear and self-doubt to courage and confidence reminded everyone in the room why classical education is about far more than grades and test scores.

If you've ever wondered what the long-term fruit of a classical education looks like, this episode offers a powerful answer.

Whether you're a parent exploring private schools, considering classical education, or simply interested in raising children of strong character, this conversation will encourage and inspire you.

Lafayette Classical Academy, a Hillsdale Curriculum school, is a K-12 classical school in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri, serving families throughout St. Charles County who desire an education that forms both the mind and the character.

For more information about Lafayette Academy, A Classical School please visit https://lafayetteacademy.org/

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Transcript

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Welcome to the Lady K podcast. I'm Katie McKinney, the founder and head of school for Lafayette Academy, a classical school. And today I want to take you inside one of the most beautiful evenings that we have at Lafayette Academy. It's our eighth grade recognition. It is an evening filled with gratitude, of reflection, of great hope. And it marks sort of the end of eighth grade, it marks the end of one chapter, the beginning of another. We intentionally do not call it eighth grade graduation, but rather a recognition of really the way the student has been formed, the way the character of that student has come forward, and just a wonderful reflection on just how our students have grown over time. So we often talk at Lafayette about virtue and courage, gratitude, self-governance, and really the formation of the whole person. But every once in a while, and particularly on this eighth grade recognition night, we get to see those ideas come alive and get to see that student and how they have formed right before our eyes, whether or not we even know it. And oftentimes parents will come away from that evening kind of in awe of the maturity and the character that their child or their student has developed. And in some cases, they don't know the depth. And that night is a revealing night and it's really beautiful. So that actually happened this year to a number of our students. But there was one speech in particular with an eighth grader. Um I won't share her name, but her story was one of these moments that reminded me this is why we do this. Just to just to pause for a second, it's it's helpful to see really how far these students have come on this particular evening. The teachers, the parents are all planting and sowing, cultivating that soil. Um, and then this night is really kind of a it's a fruitful night to see how that that care and that nurturing has really come to fruition. Obviously, the growth is academic. It can be. It can also be, you know, because obviously we we care deeply about reading and writing and history and literature and math and science and Latin and all of these wonderful things. But the question really at the heart of all of that is who is this person becoming? How are they being formed? Are they are they loving what is good? What is true, what is beautiful? And those affections, if they are aimed in a way that is focused on the good, true, and beautiful, the result is just awe-inspiring. To that end, when when this student, she had written her speech, it was largely historical in nature. Um, she really enjoyed her history class this last year. And as I talked with her about it, we we kind of I helped the eighth graders going through the editing process, how to get up, give a speech, all the details of that. But as I was talking with her individually, I started to ask more questions about, you know, why did this story, as she's going to mention JFK, why was this story of particular interest to you? And as we dug deeper, deeper, deeper, it was way, it was, it was so inspiring to hear what the lesson was that she gained from that and then how she was applying that to her own life. And there was a point at which she was just sort of talking, and I was like, hold on, hold on, keep talking. And so I started typing it because she was she was on a roll and I wanted her to just focus on what she was thinking and not have to type at the same time. So I'm typing, she's speaking, and I start crying because it was so amazingly deep and profound and inspiring. And I was like, this is the heart. This is this is this is your speech. So, in any case, she she was particularly struck with JFK's courage and his perseverance. And so that lesson began began to emerge in her own life and um and started to form her even more so. She came to us from a previous uh public school experience. As I spoke to her and she has shared, she did not feel safe at this particular school. She had been hurt, she had been mocked, she had learned in many ways just to keep her mouth shut, um, not to talk out in class. And for her then to get up and give a speech in front of a huge room full of parents, probably 60 parents, this act of giving a speech was no small thing in and of itself. But the fact that she had come from this background, she was um obviously she's been somewhat shy and and reticent at our own school, but slowly, slowly, slowly coming out more and more. Um so just the act of giving this speech was an act of fortitude on her part. But as we talk a lot about fortitude, fortitude is not the absence of fear. It is, in fact, doing the right thing, doing what is good, even if you are afraid, and to keep moving um towards towards what is good and what is right. And in the end, you will actually be strengthened because you were able to follow through, even though maybe you were scared out of your wits to do whatever. In her speech, she describes the first time that she had to recite a poem in front of her class. I don't want to necessarily give you all the details. I would like to just read you the speech and you can um hear it for yourself. I will share with you her words now. I've noticed in the past when things got tough or didn't seem to go my way, I found myself easily complaining or quitting early on. But things are changing for me. This year has taught me a lot about patience and fortitude, whether it be about a test or about my personal life. One time I learned this lesson in Mr. Worsham's history class when I heard about JF Kennedy and his achievements for the first time. It deeply inspired me. JFK's struggles made him an inspirational president. Growing up, Kennedy was very ill. By age three, he caught hold of scarlet fever and nearly died, but he miraculously survived. Later, he was diagnosed with osteoporosis in his back, a silent disease where the bones in your body become weak and brittle, causing them to break more easily. Shortly after, he was also diagnosed with Addison's disease, which caused or left him in chronic pain and fatigue. Despite all these problems, it never stopped Kennedy from pursuing his dreams and making a difference. An example of this was JFK's time in World War II. He was able to become a Navy lieutenant in early March of 1942. And one year later, Kennedy was commanding a nighttime patrol to search for Japanese destroyers, when, on August 2nd, 1943, his boat collided with a Japanese destroyer, slicing it in half. The ship started to sink fast. Crew members were jumping into the ocean with life vests, desperate to get away from the fire-engulfed boat. In the ocean, Kennedy noticed one of his crewmates was severely burned. The man was unable to swim and he was just floating. JFK swam to rescue him. Putting the life vest strap in his mouth, Kennedy, I guess he put the life vest around this man and then put the strap in his mouth. Kennedy dragged his crewmate through the shark-infested waters for three and a half miles before he landed on an island. His fearless mindset saved him and his friend. His mental fortitude and his heroic actions led him to earn a Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps medal. The same fearless mindset and fortitude have been working inside me this year. At the beginning of the year, during recitations, Mr. Tanquist, who's one of our teachers from middle school, had us recite in front of the class. The first time I did this, I could feel my face get red, my hands started sweating, and I could not hear anything except my own heartbeat, pounding. I could not even speak. I was petrified. You see, at my last school, anytime I spoke up or voiced my opinion, I was hit, made fun of, or judged. And that caused me to isolate myself from people. But over the last 18 months at Lafayette, pause. She had come to us in seventh grade, January time frame of seventh grade, and this was the end of eighth grade. So over the last 18 months at Lafayette, I have become more comfortable around people, and as a result, I'm beginning to find my voice and stand for what I believe in. Back to my story. As I sat down that day, after the embarrassing recitation, I thought people would laugh at me, but I was surprised when no one mentioned it or made fun of me. For the first time, I felt I could be myself when no one would judge me or make fun of me. I began raising my hand in class. A small step for some people, but it was a huge step for me. That caused me to read more out loud in class, which we do quite often. And it also helped me build my confidence so I could voice my opinion about characters in our book. I've demonstrated fortitude in these moments and have not given up. And as a result, I am here tonight. Giving this speech, which just about two years ago, I thought was impossible. Through JFK's struggles during his presidency, saving someone's life, and even having constant health problems, he never gave up. I have a glimpse of what that was like. He fought until the end. He always had a smile on his face and he never complained. And that inspires me to do the same. I'm incredibly grateful for my parents sacrificing more than I expected for me to have a better education. I'm grateful for Mr. Worsham for teaching me about inspiring people like John F. Kennedy. And I'm also grateful for Mr. Tanquest for helping me grow this year and for finding my voice. I didn't know that was possible. And lastly, I'm thankful for my classmates who unknowingly, through their respect, helped me to trust myself and regain trust in others. I'm happy that I have rediscovered my voice and the confidence to speak my mind like JFK spoke his. This is why we do what we do at Lafayette. Not only academically has this individual soared, but her character, which I would I would argue that maybe is even more important at this point, her character has grown immeasurably. And I have seen this character now flow into her academics. And where she was once four years behind in math, she is not only at par, but she is above where her level should be as she enters her freshman year. It's these examples and being witness to this type of growth and commitment and fortitude that inspires me. It inspires all of our teachers and it makes us fight even harder for our wonderful students. So if you've enjoyed this Lady Kay podcast, I encourage you to share it with a friend because great nations are not renewed first in capitals or in courts, but in the classrooms, in our families, and in the hearts of our children. And this is how we help preserve the promise of America. Thank you for joining me.