By Cindy Han (Class of 2019)

The power and influence of words are enormous. Word is a necessary tool we use everyday to communicate, but sometimes we ignored or forgot how unique and powerful they are. Fortunately, by doing a project called “You Matter Marathon,” students in Developing Virtue Girls School got a chance to redefine the meaning of two simple words “You Matter” and discovered their tremendous power.

When people really made a big impact in our life, it was not their accomplishments that provided us with direction, it was their strong belief in us. Through words and actions, they helped us find confidence and let us know that “you mattered.” Similarly, people in our life—classmates, friends, even adults—share that common desire. You Matter Marathon acts as a bridge that creates a chance for everyone to know that they matter, others matter, by sharing and passing You Matter cards to each other.

With a presentation given to the whole girls school, You Matter Marathon began. In that presentation, morals and impacts of the project were explained. In the following morning, to their surprise, students found out that each of them received a You Matter card in their lockers. Soon, colorful You Matter cards were passed around from one student to the other. Students put those cards in each other’s pocket with a big smile and a friendly greeting; they gave cards to their teacher; they gave them out even anonymously by putting them in each other’s textbooks and lockers.

With the upcoming Christmas season, a special, colorful You Matter Christmas tree was set up at the girls high school. Students decorated it by writing down things about people that mattered to them on colorful sticky notes, which were then posted to create the tree. By looking at the tree, you will find out that most of the things students wrote down are actually common and normal. For instance like sports, GPA, friends and families. These things made up student life, brought happiness to them and helped them find confidence. By doing so, students found out lots of things which they thought were normal and small, but are actually things that provided them with motivation, encouragements in life. It was a revealing and refreshing experience for them.

Gratitude Wall

We’re living in a world where people crave connection, yet feel more isolated than ever. Every one of us is here for a reason. We are all essential. We need, and are needed by, each other.

– Cheryl Rice, founder of You Matter Marathon.