‘Twas the last day before spring break, when all through the school, not a creature was stirring, not even a mule. Mr. Barlow came on In The Know with care, in hopes to better the students who were there. “Participate until something happens,” Mr. Barlow did say, “now off to spring break, and have a nice day!”

Okay, maybe it didn’t happen exactly like that, but before spring break, Mr. Barlow came on In The Know in the afternoon and did a spectacular performance with Mr. Lee, Ms. Elliott, and Ms. Bruce. They told us to “push.”

Now, what in the world does P.U.S.H mean? P.U.S.H, a division-wide initiative inspired by Mr. Barlow, stands for “Participate Until Something Happens.” It encourages students to not give up and to strive to do their best no matter what the circumstances. “Its premise is to be used as a motivational tool to remind everyone in our division to do our best and to try a little harder when the tasks seem difficult,” said Assistant Principal Jason Lee.

You might be asking yourself how you can actively participate in the P.U.S.H. initiative. “Students can participate by consistently reminding their peers of the P.U.S.H. concept,” said Lee. “If they are having a bad day, just encourage them to P.U.S.H. Have a tough test coming up? Encourage your friend to P.U.S.H. In the middle of a tough athletic event? Remind your teammates to P.U.S.H.,” he said.

How are we supposed to remember to P.U.S.H. on a daily basis? Well, all students and staff were given a P.U.S.H. button to wear at school. “I really like the buttons,” said junior Nathaniel LaRosa. These buttons serve as a fashionable reminder of P.U.S.H. Teachers are also getting in on the buttons, with some giving students who wear their P.U.S.H. button extra credit as an incentive.

How can you personally apply P.U.S.H. to your life? With the end of school near, SOLs and exams will be here before you know it. You can use P.U.S.H. to get through those times and to help you not give up. But P.U.S.H. is not just something for school. You can use it whenever you feel the need to. Think of it as more of a lifestyle than a philosophy. So don’t give up: PUSH!