April's Pride and Promise ~ Lesley Magill

from the notes of her teacher, Mr. Vince Pavia ~

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One word that we try to incorporate into our students’ day is “initiative” — to go beyond and do things in a positive manner without being asked.

When Lesley joined LCCTC in her sophomore year, she was quiet and shy. Her attendance was an issue as she missed over two dozen school days, but her life was a bit more challenging then.

This year, life has changed for Lesley, and she is thriving. She has zero unexcused absences, she earned 1st place in SkillsUSA district competition, and, as a junior, she competed against seniors at the state championships last week, and successfully completed her CNA course which she will test on May 12th.

Lesley, in my opinion, has displayed initiative.

Back in February, Lesley approached me with a suggestion to do something for Black History Month.

“Do you have anything specific in mind?” I asked.

She responded, “I just want to shed some positive light.”

I suggested that Lesley incorporate the history of great Black pioneers in healthcare, and from there, Lesley’s wheels turned. She took off on the project, working on it in the midst of breaks during CNA lessons, which she did a phenomenal job completing. She took the ball and ran with it. We proudly displayed her project during the month of February and will continue to do so each year. It was a wonderful way for us to incorporate Black History Month into our program.

Lesley Magil shows the promise of positive contributions to our society, and I am proud of her. She is someone we can all be proud of.