LHS had the privilege of having of having guest speaker, Shaphen Staats, in their classroom today. Staats was a JAG instructor in Pratt for 3 years, but is now a salesman for Home Lumber. He shared with the students how incredible the JAG program is and how it provides endless opportunities that will benefit them in the future. He also took a few minutes to talk about his career in sales at Home Lumber, and the potential opportunities that are out there if the students were to choose a career in the craftsman industry.
Then came the pen game. Staats demonstrated how the game works, assuring the students that it would be OK if they didn't get it the first time... or the seventh. He took a deep breath and said, "OK" and started maneuvering the pen he was holding from side to side, up and down. "I can play the pen game, the pen game, the pen game. I can play the pen game, the pen game, can you?" and handed the pen to whoever was sitting next to him. The students then tried to copy exactly what they were instructed to do, performing tricks with the pen, saying the riddle out loud, and passed it around the room several times. Only a few caught on that you needed to say the words "OK" before the game ended. Staats acknowledged that this was a silly game, but that there was a moral to the story.
He explained to them that so many times in life, they're going to find themselves in situations where they're not going to know the rules. That they'll be the new person at a job, in the military, or in college, and that they need to learn to be OK with not knowing what to do. "What's important, is that you never give up." he said. Learn to say that "It is OK", even when you're uncomfortable. Thank you so much for visiting with JAG today, Shaphen! We hope this is a lesson they carry with them far beyond Larned High School!