My high school in Jersey City was part of the worst public school district in the US - a system so corrupt it was taken over by the state. (Here's what it taught me.) First, let me try to describe my high school experience. Our school met here, in what had been a community center. We had no gym, no library, no field, no auditorium, no equipment, nothing. The chemistry lab was the room that happened to have a sink in it. The nurse’s office was a lower level apartment in a rundown house half a block away. We were a tiny magnet school inside a corrupt system. We had 400 students and a racial quota - 25% black, hispanic, white, and what they called ‘other’. We had 29 nationalities represented, many of those first generation. All athletics were at the public park. For soccer, we picked up broken glass off the field before playing. For indoor track, we literally ran around the hallway of a local elementary school (shout out to PS 11) and we used their auditorium for drama. Our principal was forcibly removed by the state. My French teacher was arrested after class one day in front of us. I once found my chem teacher passed out drunk in a storage room. And yet. My classmates cared a ton. We had a ton of teachers who cared a ton about our future. The plot twist? My sophomore year, our little high school was ranked #11 in the state of New Jersey. Because we all worked so freakin’ hard. We took every AP test imaginable. We competed in academic tournaments against huge schools, comically under-resourced but working harder than anyone else. Many years later, they moved McNair Academic High School into a new building. A proper high school. It’s awesome to see it - the students and teachers and administrators are as driven as anyone. I went back and visited this weekend, and it got me thinking. Here’s what I learned, living in a neighborhood so dangerous that I couldn’t go outside at night and going to a high school with zero resources: 1. Surround yourself with people who care, who are driven, and who don’t make excuses. 2. Find opportunities to interact with people (and in places) outside your comfort zone. You don't have to like it. But it will advantage you in ways you can't possibly predict. 3. If you're facing difficulties - good. The path to success is forged ONLY through difficulty. There is no exception to this rule. +++++++++++++++++++++++ Want to follow the top AI news and become a genAI ninja in the process? Go to www.conorgrennan.com to sign up for the free AI Mindset Newsletter.
I'm sorry to hear about your experience. You should have transferred to Ferris High School brother. I attended from 1979 to 1983. We had spectacular facilities, wonderful teachers and counselors. The sports programs were top-notch. Everything I needed to learn in terms of leadership and discipline I learned from my High School Baseball Coach Mr. Piscatore and my Swimming Coach Ms. Gualtierri. I wouldn't trade my Jersey City High School education at Ferris for any other High School experience.
Liz Grennan
1w
Highly unlikely you would have chosen to live in Nepal, doing the work you did, had you not had an experience like this. And so agree with all three points above. The question now becomes how we get comfortable with (and to some extent, engineer) our kids facing difficulties…
Great example of -Adversity WITH the right type of support- VS -No road blocks (silverplater) with "fake support"- Finding the balance of enough adversity with enough opportunity is the key to humbled great success. Didn't Jensen Huang say something about adversity?
I love this story, your story, Conor. The other thing that I talk with people often about is learning to choose themselves and not waiting around to be chosen by anyone else. If there's something that we want to do, or people we would like to get to know better, we have to tell ourselves that we have every right to do that. Why not?!
Inspiring! As you rightly said, “The path to success is forged ONLY through difficulty”. And determination, and hard work, and hope. You sure have come a long way! Hope many of your classmates and friends have also persisted despite the huge challenges and have had fulfilling careers and lives.
Amen Connor. Go McNair. Proud to be a product of such adversity. Story of my life.
What a journey Conor Grennan! It must have been some difficult years. But success and growth doesn't come from resting on our laurels. It comes from hard work, determination, (some inevitable failures), and learning.
Well said sir!!! I wouldn't trade the Academic experience for anything...going to school with you guys was a great time. A lot of us are still close friends which is awesome!
Nancy Li
1w
I love this glimpse into your journey and what inspires you. Thanks for sharing.
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1wConnor.....you are bringing many memories back brother.. Although I was only with you guys for the last 2 years, I remember all the up hill battles. I guess when you've always been under privileged, it creates a deep desire to succeed and beat the odds. What have you got to lose? I bring my kids back to my neighborhood any chance I get and make sure they appreciate the opportunities they have now. (P.S., talk about the lack of resources, I still remember playing goalie for the soccer team, without proper goalie gloves. By the time they were able to provide them, all my fingers were jammed.....good times!)