There’s a quote I’ve always loved:
“I will be better today than I was yesterday, but not as good as I will be tomorrow.”

That sentence has guided me as a leader, but more importantly, it has guided me as a person. And nowhere has that growth been more real, more visible, or more meaningful than here at Mt. Vernon Junior High.

Serving as your principal has been one of the greatest honors of my career. Not because of a title—but because of the people. The students who showed up every day, ready to grow. The teachers who gave everything they had and then gave some more. The staff who kept this place running when no one was watching. The families who trusted us with what mattered most.

Together, we built more than schedules and systems—we built a culture.

A culture where students are known before they are tested.
A culture where effort matters as much as outcomes.
A culture where mistakes are not something to fear, but something to learn from.

Click this link to view the Marrs newsletter for May 2026: https://app.smore.com/n/dhauz

Click this link to view April's newsletter!

https://app.smore.com/n/m58w6e

It may take me a minute to get where I’m going, but stick with me.

Over the past year, I’ve been introduced to Amazon Music. For those of you who know me well—don’t worry—I use the version that apparently comes free with the guy who shows up at my house three times a week. As a result, my “liked” songs are all over the place: Turnpike Troubadours, Dr. Dre, Kid Rock, Mötley Crüe, CCR, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hardy, Luke Bryan, Eminem…and plenty more. A wide range of genres, styles, and eras.

But I digress.

The song that unexpectedly inspired this perspective is Tubthumping by Chumbawamba. Specifically, the chorus:

“I get knocked down, but I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down.”

https://app.smore.com/n/y1phd

We’ve all heard the saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” It’s usually delivered as a warning—don’t spread yourself too thin, pick one thing and get really good at it. But most people don’t know there’s a second part to the phrase: “But oftentimes better than a master of one.” Suddenly, the meaning shifts. It becomes less of a caution and more of a celebration of curiosity, breadth, and exploration.

When I think of Junior High students, I don’t immediately associate them with “mastering” anything—and that’s perfectly okay. Over the years, I’ve preached exploring opportunities, getting involved in school organizations, and finding something you’re passionate about. I still believe deeply in those directives. But recently, I’ve shifted my perspective on what it really means to “master” something.

What I’ve come to believe is this: it’s not the achievement of mastery that matters most—it’s the pursuit of mastery where the real magic happens.

When we encourage students to chase something they love, something they’re genuinely excited about, confidence begins to grow. And confidence, especially in young people, is a quiet superpower. Have you ever met a confident adult who wasn’t skilled at something? Chances are, they didn’t wake up one morning with expertise. Mastery—real mastery—takes time, effort, patience, and purpose.

Young people crave purpose just as much as adults do, but too often we try to assign it to them instead of helping them discover it. Instead of forcing paths, we should support their interests. If a teenager finds something that lights them up—music, robotics, art, athletics, baking, coding, storytelling—let’s help cultivate that interest into a pursuit. Along the way, their confidence will grow, and that confidence inevitably spills into every corner of their life: relationships, academics, decision-making, and future goals.

Please visit this link to view the Marrs Elementary School Newsletter for 2025: https://app.smore.com/n/uhzaf.