Noah Groose

On our first day back from winter break, Mrs. Toler, the fifth-grade teacher, announced each student was to find a “2025 Word”. This word should be one students could focus on to better themselves throughout 2025. I volunteered as an A+ student in the 5th grade classroom every day of my senior year and helped the students or did tasks for Mrs. Toler. As I assisted the fifth graders in finding words they felt would be best for them, I decided to do the same.

The word I chose was persist.

At the time, I hoped this word would help keep me focused while making some of the hard decisions every senior faces: what college I would attend, what I would major in, how I would find the time to fill scholarship applications and how I would remain involved in my FFA chapter. I added my 2025 word to my notes app where I would stumble across it periodically and be reminded to continue with my persistence.

Halfway through 2025, I found myself preparing a keynote speech for Week 2 of FFA Camp. I realized my persistence had helped solidify those difficult decisions I was facing back in January, while helping me become a better version of myself in order to serve Missouri FFA.

As we move closer to the end of 2025, I am still trying to keep my word in mind. I hope to stay persistent in my classwork, studying and keeping up with my friends. I encourage you to create a 2026 word to place in a spot where you will have a subtle reminder of what you want to focus on throughout the year ahead. 

“Choose joy daily, and throw kindness around like confetti.” I first read this quote in an issue of Brio Magazine a few years ago. I had a subscription to these magazines that focus on growing your faith through short devotionals and analyzing scripture. As I collected a pile of Brio magazines, I decided to cut out the pages with colorful graphic designs of Bible verses and inspirational quotes to decorate my closet door. A few months later, I realized I had been neglecting the valuable words I had taped onto my door and made the goal of memorizing them. While I reread the quotes, one stood out to me. This quote by Grace Valentine was short, to the point and the easiest to memorize because I loved the meaning behind it.

Being joyful truly is a daily decision. Sometimes it is easier to grumble about how tired you are, complain about hard assignments or gossip about people you do not get along with. Being positive takes effort and may even be the most difficult thing you do in a day. However, choosing joy is the most rewarding thing you can do. You can create a good day out of a mediocre one or find the positive in hard situations. Choosing joy also benefits others. A friend may wish to ask you for advice or help them choose joy.

Throwing something around may seem careless and irresponsible, but why should you hold back your kindness from the world? Your kindness may become the joy another person needs in their day. It is also free to you, so do not put a price on your kindness by making others “earn” it from you.

Confetti is commonly associated with parties or celebrations, and I believe that joy and kindness are to be shared, too. You can share the joy you find in your hobbies and interests with others who may be beginners or wish to learn more about something you have experience with. 

This quote I read years ago has become an important piece of my life. I have since re-read it many times on good and bad days, submitted it for my senior quote in my school’s yearbook, and recently brought it with me to the Missouri FFA State Officer selections. I wrote it down on a large notepad with colorful markers, reminding me how this simple quote has brought so much color into my life, and stuck it to the wall to bring others encouragement. 

I hope that you choose joy today and decide to throw kindness into other people’s lives!