One of my biggest role models, my 6th grade teacher, Mr. Stoudt, used to drill this quote from Calvin Coolidge into our class’ heads every day. “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men [and women] with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” As a sixth grade student I never quite grasped the whole meaning and it wasn’t until later in life that I found myself reciting this quote, eventually learning to live by it.
Why do I live by this quote? “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.” I find nothing more to be true. I don’t believe you get to an endpoint because of a lucky break or because the stars aligned. I truly believe that success comes to a person because they persevere through whatever life hands them.
I’m originally from Lebanon, PA, and grew up on a poultry farm as the youngest of seven children. With that many siblings, you quickly learn that you’re easily comparable to others. I knew I had to be persistent to set myself apart and be independent. I had to be my own person, and that’s what I did throughout my time at Cedar Crest High School. While the rest of my siblings focused on sports, I found my niche with the newspaper, yearbook, and student council. Although I loved sports just the same, these were places that my older siblings had never touched and felt like my own. These activities helped shape my persona and eventually led me to decide my college major. I loved putting the work into a project for the newspaper or yearbook and seeing the finished product in other peoples’ hands, and I really enjoyed working with people to plan events and fundraisers through Student Council. I loved the feeling of both developing products and planning events, so I realized a future in public relations was for me. It’s fast-paced and allows you to work with others and turn creative plans into a finished product.
