A few weeks back we highlighted Jiselle and Janelle Anderson, one of eight individuals and organizations honored at the annual Champ Celebration. Since they make a great team we thought we’d share the acceptance speeches they each gave upon receiving their Champ award. Both speeches capture the beautiful spirits of this mother daughter duo.
We’ll lead off with Jiselle, a student at Lincoln International Studies School:
Hello everyone. Thank you for letting me and my family be here. It is such an honor for you to notice me as a leader. I just want to say thank you to Mr. Ohs for helping me with math and improving my grades. Also, I want to thank Girls on the Run and my coaches for helping me learn how to deal with hard situations and make healthy choices. So I want to say thank you to CIS for making all this happen. Thank you.
Here is what Janelle said:
Good evening, everyone. I was extremely proud when I was told my daughter was going to be a Champ award recipient this year. Not surprised so much because that’s the kind of kid she is, but I was absolutely shocked when I was told that I would be receiving an award, also! I mean, I didn’t think I had done anything. I am just doing what a mom does: helping my daughter with her schooling, making sure she is healthy, well fed, warm enough on those cold mornings, and doing her homework everyday (even when she says she doesn’t have any), which, by the way, may be true but as my mother told me growing up, “You can always be studying something” or “work on your handwriting.” When your mother is a teacher you can expect to hear that kind of thing, which I thought my mother was. She really wasn’t, but she was always at school, filling in for my teacher, leading small groups of students, covering the front office and doing whatever her real job was. And doing all of that, she still somehow managed to bake the cookies or cupcakes for the bake sale that I volunteered her for and forgot to tell her about until the day before. But that’s my mom. She did it all.
So now that I am a mother myself it only seems natural for me to be involved in what my children are doing. Coaching their teams when I can, finding and securing them whatever academic support they may need, being their biggest fan, and trying to afford them every single opportunity that I can. So working with CIS is a great fit for me. The CIS mission is practically identical to my philosophy for parenting: to surround my kids with a community of support, empowering them to not only stay in school but thrive in school and to achieve greatness in life.
Thank you all for recognizing my daughter and me. It is truly an honor. But honestly, receiving this award would not have been possible had it not been for my mother spending her life showing me what it is to be a great mother and role model, so mom, this is for you. I love you. Thank you.
Jiselle (front right) surrounded by a few of the loving adults who are part of her community of support.
If you missed the recent post about Jiselle and Janelle Anderson and their Champ award, you can read it here.
