Blind Joe talks perseverance with Horizon students
June 23, 2016
On the last day of school, Horizon Middle School students learned a lesson in perseverance from singer Joe “Blind Joe” Bommersbach. Blind Joe sang his way to the Top 32 in season 9 of “The Voice.”
He described to students how he always knew music would be part of his life. He learned to play guitar at age 5. Besides singing for the students, Blind Joe also spoke about learning to play video games and ride a dirt bike on his family’s farm.
“I was able to do that because I exercised one thing — perseverance — never giving up,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what it is. It just takes a little bit of perseverance.”
Horizon Middle School’s Imagine Thriving chapter brought “The Voice” star to Moorhead for the performances earlier this month. The performances connected to the school’s spring fling and the group’s final monthly theme (based on the 10 Elements of Thriving) of “having fun/connecting” and “tending to spirit.”
The Imagine Thriving Horizon chapter encourages students to reach out to their peers to open the dialogue about mental health, provide education about signs and symptoms of distress, and model how to thrive in all areas of life. The students implement this within the school community with support and resources from the Imagine Thriving foundation in our community.
Each month, the Imagine Thriving group sponsored a different activity based on one element of thriving. During the inaugural year of this student-led group, the group focused on the following elements of thriving: move, breathe, eat, tend to your spirit, and connect/have fun.
Activities included brain breaks in classrooms and lunch times led by students, staff and guests to the school, including members of the Fargo Force and Moorhead High School athletic teams. Yoga and mindful breathing were introduced by volunteer community instructors before school for students and staff. To encourage healthy eating, the group provided healthy snack alternatives throughout the month before and after school. In order to learn more about each other’s talents and hobbies, students and staff participated in an All About Me activity that was displayed throughout the school.
Imagine Thriving utilizes Dr. L. Read Sulik’s 10 Essentials to Thriving. The 10 strategies focus on taking care of self and asking for help when in distress. These skills can not only help a student out of a struggle, but also prevent struggle. The group focused on these steps throughout the school year, providing students with related activities and education.
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