Matt Lauber

Fridays mark the end of another school week. Say thank you. Remember this: 100s - sometimes 1,000s - of young people walk into one building for six-plus hours a day, five days a week nearly 10 months a year. Different personalities, skill sets, struggles and home lives. Teachers get class after class of 20–30 of those young humans. Coaches get team after team of 15–25 of those young humans. Every young person walking through those doors is trying to figure out the game of life, while the adults around them are trying to help. Is every day perfect? Of course not. But guess what? Neither is parenting or growing up. Say thank you. Thank the teacher who stayed late or the coach who worried about the kid at the end of the bench. Don’t forget the athletic trainer who kept someone safe or the bus driver who got them home. How about custodian who arrived hours before them and the security staff who watched over them. The counselor, administrator or school leader who solved a problem most people will never know existed. Think about that. Schools are the most important multi-million dollar organization and human thinktank in every community. So make Friday a habit this school year: Find one person helping the next generation and say thank you. Do it privately, do it publicly. Create the wave of gratitude, which costs nothing besides a selfless consistent effort. To someone who spent the week giving a piece of themselves to young people, it might mean everything as they’re just trying to make it to the finish line. Remember: Some parents lose their minds with two kids over two months of summer, and can’t wait for school to be back in session. Say thank you. #MoreThanJUSTGames