Summer vacation may have been over for the teachers and employees of St. Charles Parish schools, but it was clear to anyone at the Lafon Performing Arts Center Aug. 1 that their school spirit clearly hadn’t eroded over their time off.
It was a lively crowd that afternoon as St. Charles Parish Public Schools hosted its annual Beginning of the Year Employee Kickoff event, where district leadership welcomes school employees for their first day back to work, addresses upcoming goals and shows appreciation for what these educators do to prepare students for the future – all alongside a bit of pep rally-like hyping up for the year to come.
This year’s event saw elected officials, business and industry representatives in attendance for the first time as invited guests of the district. A video was shown highlighting many of the district’s employees working with students, and Superintendent Dr. Ken Oertling took the microphone to officially welcome everyone back.
“Our team is full of dedicated employees, such as you, who commit themselves each and every day for the benefit of our students, this community, their families, for this state and for this country,” Oertling said. “Thank you for being part of this profession … hopefully today you’ll be inspired and have an opportunity to reflect on just how important your role in on our team – whether you’re a custodian, an administrator, a maintenance worker … your role is just as important as anyone else sitting in this room.”
Oertling then introduced Gian Paul Gonzalez, a social studies teacher from Union City, N.J. and – as those on hand at the Lafon Center would quickly learn – a powerful motivational speaker.
Gonzalez, a former All-American basketball player at Montpelier State who played in the NBA Summer League in 2007, turned down offers to play professional ball in order to continue working with at-risk youth. He found unexpected notoriety in 2011 when he was credited as an inspiration for the New York Giants’ Super Bowl championship run that season.
Prior to the Giants Christmas Eve game with the NY Jets, Gonzalez delivered a speech during the Giants’ chapel service where he handed each player a poker chip, instructing each to write his number on one side of the chip and write what he wanted to be committed to on the other side. He then shared with the team the meaning behind the poker phrase “All In”. He inspired them to be committed and put all their “chips” on the table to achieve their goal.
“When the Giants called me up, I thought it was a prank,” Gonzalez said. “I’m teaching ninth grade world history and social studies. Obviously, sure, you called me up to talk to Eli Manning about Julius Caesar.”
The Giants “bought in’ to “All In.” The team beat the Jets decisively and Giants defensive end Justin Tuck credited Gonzalez’s speech as a motivator. The team did not lose another game that season, one that culminated with a 21-17 victory over Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Gonzalez was featured on ESPN on Super Bowl Sunday and has had notable appearances on Fox News, ABC and CNN.
The Giants helped Gonzalez establish a larger platform to spread his inspiring message – including this trip to Luling, where he shared an understanding with his fellow educators regarding purpose.
“Sometimes, it just feels lonely, doesn’t it? Not long ago, someone walked up to me and told me, ‘I think you’re wasting your time. Please don’t take any offense … there’s not a lot of profit in public education.’ But that’s not why you do it … anyone can do something that’s convenient and comfortable. We stay committed to something even when we’re not guaranteed success. We expect excellence, even if we don’t get it, we’re trying,” Gonzalez said.
Oertling – after noting to the attendees that it was Gonzalez’s birthday, resulting in a warm ovation – went on to reinforce many of the points Gonzalez touched on during his talk. Some jobs may seem big and others small, but all carry great importance in building an overall culture and positive environment that will set students up for success.
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