Alvin Law

Leadership Is Everywhere

I Love March Madness! No, not the feeling of anxiety that winter will never end! The competition in NCAA Basketball south of the border. If you didn’t know, it’s a single knock out tournament for Men’s College Hoops that culminates in “The Final Four;” which constitutes the last remaining teams from all the qualifying tournaments across the U.S.A. and results in a National Champion whose team are literally the last ones standing by winning the final game. You don’t even need to like basketball, or sports for that matter, to appreciate what I believe is the essence of this event. Anyone can win! In fact, every single year, a “nobody” school upsets a ranked favourite which literally knocks them out of the competition and they call the underdog’s victory a “Cinderella Story”! I like that!

There is a misconception that only the best schools give you the best education. Obviously, bigger budgets, nicer facilities, the latest in technology can make a difference but I have spent my entire life believing the quality of our own education depends on one thing…us! I can’t believe how often I’ve heard…”Mr. Law, I have a learning disability” or even worse; “Mr. Law…I’m stupid!” Nonsense. I have no arms. What’s my excuse? Is it more difficult with a learning challenge…duh? What’s wrong with that? I want you to seriously contemplate what I just asked.

Wanna hear something wacky? I am successful “because” of how hard it was. I learned so many things that only being born without arms could have taught me. I didn’t know that when I was sixteen, but I do now. Here’s another thing I didn’t know when I was sixteen; I thought you had to go to a big city school with a winning reputation to have your best chance at success. I grew up in Yorkton, Saskatchewan! Ever hear of that? Yet, our little school in farming country has an epic reputation, especially if you have ever been to CSLC!

The Canadian Student Leadership Conference began in Yorkton! In 1985, also the International Year of Youth (how appropriate) a city of around 15,000 two hours away from the closest airport in Regina hosted over 750 students from schools across Canada and the U.S., and created a tradition that defines student leadership in Canada!

When you attend events like CSLC; it doesn’t matter where you are from or how fancy your school is, or isn’t! That’s not how leadership is defined. Leadership Lives In You!

So if you think about it, Leadership Is Everywhere, can come from anyone and being successful at it has one common thread..Hard Work! I know I make it sound too simple but it’s really not that complicated. Take who you are, where you are from, work hard and even you can be the best! In fact, how about the idea that it’s the students that make a school great, not the other way around? And anyone can write “A Cinderella Story”! They do exist. I have one! What’s yours?