It has been a whirlwind the last several days. I started with the Class Reunion and then headed to the River Valley DECA conference.
As I walked in Monday morning to the PEAK Innovation Center in Fort Smith, the VP of Career Development spoke about Personal Pep Rally. She was also talking about DECA’s theme, “BE THE ONE.”
If you know me, you know I love 3 Little Words. When doing the devotional Coffee with Cupcake, I always used 3 Little Words for my titles. There is much you can learn by diving into just 3 words.
When I walked in and heard the speech, I knew God had placed me in the right place for the day.
As the breakout sessions began, what was supposed to be 30 in a room turned into 50, with students standing up around the room. Before starting the Personal Pep Rally presentation, I explained my profession before running a non-profit. I wanted them to remember that piece of the puzzle. I went through the slides and then reached the end, which was the most important.
I explained to them that during their lives, they may think they know what to do; however, that plan may change, just like mine did. By Mrs. Avery putting me on her prayer list and telling me I was wasted in the Stuttgart school district and that there was a world out there that needed me had shifted my mindset into realizing what God’s plan and purpose was for my life.
There were three important parts I wanted them to realize about what we do that went along with their theme: BE THE ONE.
- Be the one whether you are acknowledged or not. On all our Personal Pep Rally packages, there isn’t a name on it, just a return address of Stuttgart AR 72160
- Be the one who shows up when people need you. Show up for the one in your class that you may think isn’t popular, that doesn’t talk a lot, that sits alone. No one is better than the other.
- Be the one who makes a difference in the lives of those who need you the most—the person who can do nothing for you or give you anything in return.
As I spoke, there wasn’t a sound in the room. If you listened hard enough, you could hear maybe a tiny sound. All the students listened and took it in the words of wisdom.
When I was finished, the kids came up wanting to take pictures and get their stars to show they were present. One student approached me and said, “Thank you. I needed to hear this today.” You can only imagine how I felt.
If you do anything today, BE THE ONE. Share something with someone who needs to hear it.
Thankful for the opportunity to partner with DECA Arkansas during SCDC 2025.
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