In the spirit of giving back

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — What if people made a habit of looking at their lives with appreciation for the opportunities they had been given and gratitude towards the people who had inspired them along the way?

Can you imagine how different the world would be if people counted their blessings and dedicated themselves to providing others with similar chances to succeed and feel worthy?

John Lennon’s song, “Imagine,” asks us to envision a better world: “Imagine all the people sharing all the world,” Lennon wrote.

Having benefited enormously from people who have shared their time, their skills, their warmth and their attention with her, Amber Murphy, a senior at Tri-Valley High School, knows without question that her parents, her school and her community have given her much to be thankful for. Now, as the time draws near when she will leave for college, Murphy seeks to find a way to give something back.

She glows when she recounts the defining experiences of her high school years and the people who have made these times special. “Tri-Valley has so much to offer. Our class is really close and very supportive of one another,” Murphy said. A cheerleader for the past six years, Murphy is a current captain on the varsity squad. She joined cheerleading the first year that Janna Worden took over as coach.

According to Murphy, “Mrs. Worden’s enthusiasm for the sport of cheerleading has been contagious and inspiring. At Tri-Valley cheerleading is something the students have come to respect.”

Worden’s serious approach includes having her athletes attend camp in Pine Valley, PA, where they study lifts, stunts and dances. More than 60 kids came to Tri-Valley’s tryouts this year, but only 14 made it onto the varsity squad. Worden has empowered her cheerleaders to take the initiative in creating their own routines and dances, a privilege Murphy and her friends have come to savor. The Tri-Valley cheerleaders, which include football running back Alan Coombe, don’t just cheer at games, they also enter competitions.

“Cheerleading is my way to relax and to be with my best friends. I also enjoy the idea of generating a sense of school spirit,” Murphy said. Worden directed and produced “Guys and Dolls” last year and recruited Murphy to be one of the dancers. Murphy describes Worden as “honest, easygoing and like a sister.”

Another life-altering activity for Murphy has been her involvement in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), which is run by business teacher Brenda Hay.

“Mrs. Hay is the kind of person who makes you want to get involved,” said Murphy, who has been in FBLA since her sophomore year and is current co-president.

“The community service activities help you become proactive in your life. You learn to get things done and learn how to interact with people. You also get to meet kids from around the state and nation,” she said.

Though Murphy’s best subjects are math and physics, she credits her English teacher Connie Elberth with helping her find her expressive voice. The descriptive writing assignments called for the students to write how a place or an object affected them emotionally. Murphy wrote about her room.

“I put a piece of myself on paper,” she said.

Murphy is quick to add that her parents, Catherine and Kevin, have been very supportive of her in every way, something she has felt from her friends like Christina Cevallos and Christina’s mom Linda as well.

Two other milieus of Murphy’s life at Tri-Valley have been activities with the National Honor Society and working on the yearbook. Murphy, along with classmate Cecilia Pompeii, represented Tri-Valley at the first youth forum co-hosted by The River Reporter and Woodloch Pines in December. The other students and the facilitators duly noted their articulate and mature participation.

Murphy will attend SUNY Cortland in the fall, where her studies in physics and math will be complemented by classes in education. Teaching is one career Murphy is considering as a way of recycling the positive influences she has benefited from. She certainly has had great role models at Tri-Valley.

This week’s youth in focus brims with enthusiasm, gratitude and optimism. Undoubtedly her unique outlook will enrich the lives she touches in the future.