The message resonated with our students.
As we prepared for Liberty’s first rally of the year, our rally commissioners, Kennedy Ramirez and Richard Anthes, approached Principal Slayton with an idea: What if Melvin would come to the rally?
They shared that students all across campus had been talking about him and how much his story had inspired them. So, they reached out and invited him.
Melvin showed up.
Wearing a Liberty hat and a big smile, Melvin walked into the rally and was immediately surrounded by students. Some told him how much they loved the video. Others shared that they pass him every morning and wave. Students who had attended Fruitvale Junior High ran up to hug him and told him how they had spoken with him every morning and afternoon while crossing the street.
Students asked to take pictures with him. They wanted to thank him. They wanted him to know that they noticed him.
And then, during both rallies, the entire student body gave Melvin a true Patriot Welcome, an enthusiastic standing ovation that filled the gym.
Melvin then spoke to our students, offering a simple but powerful reminder: their education is valuable, and they should never take a single day for granted.
Principal Slayton then presented Melvin with the first “Be a Light” challenge coin of the year.
The coin represents something we want to remind our entire Liberty community of this year: Being a light is not about one monumental act. It is about the consistency in the way we show up. It is about doing the little things that may seem small but can make a significant impact.
Melvin does that every morning.
He shows up.
He smiles.
He waves.
He encourages.
He makes students and all who pass by on their way to work or school feel seen.
And those little things have made a big difference.
Principal Slayton reminds our students and staff that each of us has the opportunity to be that kind of light. We don't have to wait for a big moment. We can make an impact through the small, consistent ways we treat others every day.
Who is a light in the Liberty community?
Staff and students can nominate someone who demonstrates this kind of light for recognition using the QR code found on flyers posted around campus. We look forward to celebrating more of the people who quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, make Liberty and the community around it a better place.
Melvin reminded us that you never know how much your consistency matters to someone else.
So, Patriots, keep showing up. Keep encouraging. Keep looking for opportunities to make a difference.
Be a Light.