Testimonies

The biggest thing that John Robert Powers had taught me is self-confidence. I chose this particular lesson because it has truly impacted my life in a bigger way than any of the other lessons. It has made me more outgoing here at JRP, at school, and in my life in general. It has also encouraged me towards new things and towards showing who I really am.

This confidence has affected me in school, because now I am less intimidated to ask teachers about my grades or any questions I have about my classes. Plus I don't feel embarrassed when I get a question wrong in class, because I am comfortable with myself. I also have gotten more organized during my time with JRP, and that had made getting good grades easier for me. So I have more academic confidence and a lot less stress.

My new confidence has also encouraged me to try new things. Since starting at JRP, I have been able to try things that my friends and I were intimidated by before, like singing in front of people or sharing written work with my classmates. I've also found that my new confidence has made making new friends a lot easier. A new girl joined our school a little while ago, and I was one of the first to talk to her and show her around the school. Now, we are good, good friends, and though she has moved away, again, I still talk to her a lot. My Point is that if I didn't have this confidence I probably never would have said hi to her, and we probably wouldn't be friends now.

Most importantly, I am now confident to be completely me. Before, I was myself with my friends, but people that I didn't know so well didn't get to see the real me. Now, I am able to show the exactly who I am, which is very important to me, and I am able to perform my philosophy of practicing little acts of kindness to start a chain reaction in memory of Rachel Joy Scott. I have also joined some new clubs and organizations, like Friends of Rachel, and made many new friends. I am not the least bit intimidated now to be friends with someone who needs a friend, or is just downright friendly.

And so, to me, because of my new ease with my teachers, peers, and self, I really have to say that self-confidence is the most valuable lesson that John Robert Powers has taught me and it has impacted all areas of my life.

Nicole