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A
student from Arima Senior Comprehensive poses a question
to local track and field star Ato Boldon at the school on
Tuesday.
Ato
Boldon makes a strong point.
Photos: Dilip Singh
By
Carol Matroo
Achieving excellence is not a sprint but a marathon, says
Olympic bronze medalist Ato Boldon.
“That
thing called excellence is not an act. It is not something
that when you go to school one day, it happens.
“It
is not something that happens when lightning strikes. It’s
not an act; it’s a habit,” Boldon said while speaking
to students of Arima Senior Comprehensive and Arima Government
Secondary schools on Tuesday.
He said it was not important if other students were doing
better...they could still be surpassed if others strove
to achieve excellence.
As several students raised their hands when asked if they
would rather not be at school, Boldon reminded them that
there were children all over the world who were not as blessed
to have a proper education.
“Those
who feel school is a pain and a chore and a bore, I wish
that you could see what I have seen in other countries.
“There
are places in Africa where there isn’t a school in
every city, borough or village; where children would walk
30 or 40 miles just to get to a school that is just half
the size of this auditorium.
“At
this stage in your lives, everything is a problem…but
what is the alternative?” he asked.
While the overwhelming response was to party and lime, Boldon
advised the students they would be a burden not only to
themselves, but to their teachers, as they would be behind
in their school work.
“They
understand that the only way to make anything of this gift
called your life, is to be here. Grin and bear it,”
Boldon said, while admitting he was in danger of failing
university as his grades fluctuated.
He said it was in the human nature to take for granted that
which was easily presented to them.
Boldon said being excellent in life was not easy.
He added that while not everyone was tagged for excellence,
never try to be like someone else.
“Separate
yourself from the pack. Be excellent.”
While he told the youngsters to maintain a certain amount
of attitude, he advised them to channel it in the right
direction.
“Don’t
reserve your attitude for the guards, teachers and parents.
“You
have to look at what everybody else is doing and not only
do it better than them, but make it work for you.”
Boldon said while some people might have written off students
because of certain incidents of violence in recent times,
he saw no “lost causes” among those present.
He also asked that they not let other people’s opinions
influence their decisions in life.
Boldon also pressed parents to pay more attention to their
children.
“Crime
is not solely government and politics. Take care of your
own and stop minding other people’s business.”
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