What does that look like here at Vanguard High School? Some of you have already taken a risk by stepping out of your comfort zone to join us here in the Vanguard IB Family. You walked away from the friends you had gone to middle school with to pursue something out of the ordinary; you made a decision that you wanted to be a part of a global phenomenon in education, and you're quickly finding that you are not alone. How great is that?

Keep looking for those kinds of opportunities: speak up in class when you have a good idea worth sharing, even if no one around you has a hand up. Trust your gut when it says "Go for it!" especially if what you think/know/believe can benefit your fellow classmates. Who knows? Your risk may pay off in a huge way. And maybe not, but that's okay too. Take the risk. William Dawes did. So did Florence Nightingale. And Jackie Cochran. And Bill Gates. And J.K. Rowling. And so, so many others who have changed the world for the better. Denzel Washington put it this way: "Nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success."

College Connection: IB students transition well to challenging university settings and show resilience and determination in their work. In academics, they have the confidence to approach new or unfamiliar subjects or material.

www.ibo.org

• IB Seniors - September 6th - 6:30pm - Knights Union
  
• IB Juniors - September 18th - 6:30pm - Knights Union

School-Wide Vanguard High School OPEN HOUSE: August 27th - 6:00-7:30pm

Mrs. Claytor is a risk-taker and she's proud of it! She is always up for an adventure and will tell you, "Life is short. Buy the shoes, eat the cake, take the trip." Mrs. Claytor has jumped off of cliffs into the waters of the Mediterranean, dunked in the freezing streams of Switzerland, and has danced on a Greek stage in front of a dinner theatre audience ... OPA! Our students love her because she "constantly finds new ways to teach lessons in a memorable way, telling interesting stories and incorporating anecdotes that not only make it easy to listen, but make us want to listen!" She "makes history into a breathing story that seems to have a life of its own."