By Heather Dondis
Director of College Counseling, Lakehill Preparatory School
I recently attended the Dallas County Spelling Bee for private school students as my daughter was the school winner for Lakehill. As soon as we walked through the door, I could sense the enormous pressure of the participants, some praying, some doing yoga/relaxation techniques, some looking at spelling lists repeating letters over and over again. It made ME nervous! My daughter was proud to represent her school, and, aside from initial nerves, she went up on stage, spelled her words with confidence, and existed the stage with grace once a word was missed. I was proud of her!
Why, you might ask, is a college counselor talking about a spelling bee? I see the same scenario play out each year as seniors go through the college application process. For some, this process is more nerve-wrecking than for others, but with solid preparation, a balanced list of schools, and knowing the fact that there is more than one college able to prepare one for the future, our students go through the process with the confidence knowing they will be going to a ‘good’ college as they choose to define it.
I admire the confidence my students display as they perform, apply to colleges, compete in athletic and academic competitions, and engage in new projects in their communities. And I am impressed with the humility and grace with which our students handle situations which may not always work out as expected. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns and knowing how to navigate them will make our kids stronger and more prepared for the future.
