With the September equinox officially upon us, and the Sun’s movement southward across the equator, Summer is over and Autumn is here. The changing season marks the last quarter of 2019, as well as the beginning of the new school year. While many PVMers are long graduated, there are a few among us who have recently graduated from specialty programs, have their eyes on new degrees in the future, or are sending their kiddos off to various stages of schooling. Whatever your current status is, you’re here because you’re a passionate learner. With the new season comes an opportunity for a new beginning, and I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight how a few select PVMers have used academic year for new growth.
Carrie Tolentino, PVM’s resident project manager calls her return to school and recent graduation from Boston University’s Project Management program “100% worthwhile.” On why she decided to pursue another degree, “I found an interest in the project lifecycle process. From resourcing to scope and budget maintenance. It’s like a puzzle that can shift on you on a dime and you have to figure out the most optimal solution for success. So, I decided to pursue a masters in the area to hone my skills.” Tolentino’s desire to elevate her project management skills shows not only a growth mindset but drives home the idea learning is never really done – even when you already have a career in your field. “I consistently refer to my course work and the knowledge and best practices it provided me. Given it is literally my job, it was an invaluable experience. Doing both work and school simultaneously, while insanely difficult from a time management perspective, beyond helped me with my projects from time management to context shifting minute to minute. Not to mention the complexities of meeting/exceeding customer expectations, keeping within scope/budget and the work/life balance of the team.” It is in this spirit of self-improvement, always reaching for the next level, and attention to detail that a new term of education begins, and while many PVMers send their youngsters off to school, we can be inspired that this message that we are never too educated or employed to keep learning! Kudos Carrie, and congratulations on this huge achievement.
Now speaking of those kids…let’s see how the next generation of PVMers have geared up for the 2019-2020 school year, and their very bright futures beyond that.
Griffith Family
We have 2 kids. Ava is 9 and in 4th grade, Sarah is 14 and is a high school freshman this year at Mission Hills High School.We’ve talked some about higher education, especially with Sarah. We’ve discussed differences between state, UC and private schools and have offered suggestions on things that will help her get into a good school. Sarah has talked about being a teacher or a social-worker. Ava says she would like to be some kind of a scientist.To support their goals we offer encouragement; help guide them in the right direction and help them get access to whatever tools they need. I think the tricky part as a parent is knowing when to step in and offer help or advice and when to back off and let them figure it out on their own.
The beginning of the school year means shopping for backpacks and school supplies. It also means getting the kids back into the school bedtime routine after they’ve been running around all summer and staying up too late. This year with Sarah starting high school we had lots of band activities before the school year even started. Sarah was also anxiously waiting to get her class schedule so she could see if any of her friends were in the same classes. We usually take a picture of them together in the morning on the first day of school. To me education is about book learning but also about learning to work with other people, making mistakes, learning from them and growing.
Davis Family
We have one son, Jadyn Davis. He just turned 18 years old and started college this past fall.
We encouraged higher education as early as elementary school.He really wanted to be a veterinarian but couldn’t follow that path because he’s severely allergic to animals. So, he’s going the business route.We support his goals by simply encouraging him to envision the benefits. We continually persuade him to follow through on his ideas and run full force towards his goals.The beginning of the school year looks different for us this year since he is away at college. It definitely feels empty in our home, but we know he’s out there creating a life for himself.My son’s favorite books as a child were Dr. Seuss books. So, education to me comes from a quote by Dr. Seuss…”The more that you read, the more things you will know, the more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Koen Family
My daughter, Kaylee Koen, is 4.5 years old, and is Pre-K. In talking “Higher Education” to her consists of what the next day will entail – at dinner we manage to talk and discuss what was the best and least favorable part of her day and what could she have done better. As far as what she wants to be when she grows up? It ranges from princess, firefighter, teacher and on bad days a “potato” (seriously). We support her in letting her try most of everything and anything she wants to do, within reason. We allow her to succeed and fail on her own so that she may gain from the experience and not from us saying “Get off that, you’re going to hurt yourself” or performing everything for her. She needs to at least make attempts before we step in. She loves her weekly Gymnastics class and We often practice at home. At her age the school year is pretty much all year with little to no breaks between levels. My wife works at Cal State San Marcos and is a college graduate. I myself am the first of my family on both my father and mother’s side of the families to have graduated college, with a master’s degree at that, so education is very important. Not just for the obvious learning benefits but also its social interactions.
Watson Family
We have 3 boys. Zavien, 17, a high school senior, Zyan, 14, high school Freshman , and Zowen, 10, a 5th grader. All 3 boys are heavy into sports; baseball, soccer, and football which means they are busy. All the time. With that being said, they know that education comes first. Both my husband and I discuss the importance of education with them and the value of finishing anything that you start. Which is why my husband is nearly finished with his Doctorate degree after a brief hiatus. He is set to finish in Spring 2020. Zavien is committed to play baseball for the University of Arizona so we are in the thick of preparations for college admissions!As parents we are here to guide and redirect when they lose focus. They know that they have our full support if they need help and provide them with the appropriate resources as needed. We know that not many have the opportunity to provide such resources for their kids so we make sure that they do not take their opportunities for granted.
Mack Family
I’m the proud dad of two amazing women who have both completed their undergraduate degrees. Both pursued graduate degrees as well. I have emphasized the importance of education with them since before they could talk, walk, read or write. Knowledge is truly the one thing in life that once earned can never be taken away. As a parent, I didn’t focus on them choosing a profession. My approach was to equip them with the foundation, knowledge and skills to pursue their dreams. I’ve changed what I wanted to be several times in my life and fully expect that they will also. I try to mentor and coach them. I’m passionate about them living a purposeful and fulfilling life so my support takes on whatever form that is most needed. I try to resist the urge to solve problems for them (harder to do than say), but to provide an environment that supports growth and failure. I encourage them to dream and occasionally fail. Valuable lesson are learned when we push beyond our perceived limit. Even during their college years, the first day of school was cherished. To include first day of school pictures, going to school/classes with them, and talking about goals/wishes/and desires. Education fuels life’s journey. It removes the veil of ignorance and is the spark that keeps the childlike fire of “why” burning. When learning stops, we have truly died.
Here at PVM, it is clear that we value education and the way it allows us to communicate, navigate the world, and work at this wonderful company together. While we are sad to see summer go, this Fall promises to be a bountiful one, full of shared knowledge, the pursuit of dreams, and the joy of family.
