Leave your hometown. Explore the world. Go to college. These sentiments were central to Tim Stauffer’s passionate message to National Honor Society members during Wednesday evening’s induction ceremony at Iola High School. Stauffer, managing editor of The Iola Register, was the event’s keynote speaker.
Senior members of the National Honor Society graduating with distinction were presented with a gold honor cord and certificate. Six new members were installed, including sophomores Brennen Coffield, Stephanie Fees, Bethany Miller, and Ari Ramirez and juniors Grady Dougherty and Kale Godfrey.
Membership in the National Honor Society is based on four pillars: scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Members of the Iola chapter volunteered 810 hours for the good of the community this school year. This included ringing bells for The Salvation Army, wrapping Christmas presents for the police department and helping in other service projects.
“We are proud of our 810 hours and welcome the new members who bring a new energy in support of our continuing work,” said chapter President Jenna Morrison.
“You need to be changed by the world,” said Stauffer in his address to the students. “You need to let it astonish you. Its beauty needs to take your breath away, its ugly needs to knock you to your knees.”
Stauffer encouraged NHS members to leave Iola after graduation because “you cannot help this community if you’ve never been outside of it.” He followed this up by challenging the NHS members to have one stamp in their passport in the next five years; have five friends who have never heard of Iola; and have 10 different area codes in their phone’s contacts.
Stauffer noted that attending college is an avenue that helps develop curiosity and meet those goals. “Of course, we’d love for many of you to somehow find your way back here,” he said. “But to fill this community’s bucket, yours can’t be empty.”
A college education is “the best investment you’ll ever make,” Stauffer stressed. He explained that college helps you find your passions and guides you to become a global citizen. “Education is not about certificates, workforce training or getting a job,” he said. “It’s about critical thinking, ideas, and changing society.”
Recalling a friend of his who has worked in restaurants his entire life, traveling from coast to coast, Stauffer noted, “He’s happy. But what still amazes me about a college campus is that darn near everyone there is trying to better themselves. That’s not true of most other places.”
Unlike the old saying “failure is not an option,” Stauffer believes it can be. However, the important thing is to continue to work hard because “hard work beats talent” and the failure won’t be due to a lack of tenacity.
“Tonight’s honor, the diploma you’ll soon earn — it is the starting line, not the finish,” said Stauffer. “You’d be crazy for thinking you’re done. Done? You’re just getting started.”
