Today is Jackie Robinson Day across Major League Baseball. Many of you know he was an outstanding athlete who broke the color line in Major League Baseball. You may also know he went to John Muir High School in Pasadena, Pasadena Junior College, UCLA, played for the Kansas City Monarchs, and eventually played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, later the Los Angeles Dodgers (my favorite team). The MLB has made April 15, Jackie Robinson Day and all players traditionally wear his number, 42, as a way to show respect for his legacy.  He was truly an amazing athlete. He was a six-time All-Star, World Series Champ in 1955, hitting 137 home runs, 734 RBI’s, and maintaining a lifetime batting average over his nine years of .311. There are players who hit more home runs, had more RBI’s, played longer, and accumulated more awards. So why is Jackie Robinson honored? It is all about his character, his heart.

 

Clairbourn was fortunate enough to have Sharon Robinson, Jackie’s daughter, come and talk to us several years ago. She wrote several books about her father and shared one of them with us. That book was all about his character and the traits he demonstrated so well which made him successful. These traits, according to his daughter, are: courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. 

 

This is a great example for our students. The students may have grades, numbers, awards, or even social media likes associated with their name, but it is not their legacy. There will always be someone who has more, better, or higher stats and someone who ranks lower. None of that is what defines us. Think about your own journey. When is the last time someone asked you about your high school or middle school GPA? Probably not since high school. But people always have and always will care about your character, whether in business, relationships, or any other part of life. When I look at the nine traits from Robinson, they remind me of the Clairbourn Code of Ethics: Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, Citizenship, and Spirituality. We work on these character traits every day at school, because these things matter!

 

This is why Clairbourn students are so well-regarded in the community. They are known to have great character along with strong academics and solid leadership skills. They are Scholars and Leaders with Heart!

 

Go Cougars!  Go Dodgers!