Throughout a high school career, students usually strive to do their very best, whether this means academic achievement, excelling in sports, or working hard to be kind to others.
At HEHS, students and staff strive to ensure all students feel represented and have the potential to be their best selves, especially with the inclusion of clubs like Best Buddies, United Hawks, and Latinos Unidos, among other groups. A main piece of this inclusion is respect, with the S in SOAR standing for Show Respect.
But what does respect mean to us Hawks? How can we make sure to uphold a respectful environment that makes all Hawks really soar?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, respect can mean “to consider worthy of high regard” or “to refrain from interfering with”. A good example of avoiding interference here at Hoffman would be maintaining the high quality of our school’s resources and our physical surroundings.
Nithya Mahesh, senior, says we can respect school property by “staying clean and using district owned items for their intended purposes.” Rishi Suresh, junior, offers another perspective on respect: “By respecting the people within the school, we respect the school itself.”
Both the school building and the people at school are tied to the concept of respect. What respect means to each individual is different, but generally those who feel respected have been treated with empathetic consideration.
“I feel seen and respected when I am seen and understood,” said Carolyn Chan, senior.
Respect also can be seen when people listen to others’ perspectives and demonstrate a willingness to learn another point of view.
“In class there is always the idea of being heard and cooperation with other people, so when there are discussions going on or times when you have conversations you should be listened to and listen,” said Alleyah Genosa, sophomore. “To be respected, there has to be reciprocation of the same energy.”
Of course, you can’t forget the aspect of high regard. Though the definition can sound daunting, regarding someone as your equal is just the way to show a high level of respect and achieve our goals; it might just be the key to how Hawks maintain excellence.
“Sometimes even a small interaction can remind me that we are all human, and we can help each other through the day to reach our goals,” said Sarah Peterson, school librarian.
