Since 2019, Rocky has used the saying: Self, Purpose, Place. As new staff and students arrive, this saying has been used to welcome anyone who is unfamiliar with the Rocky community and the Lobo Way. The Pack Principles hang in the commons, but this phrase boils it all down to three words: Self, who are we? Purpose, why are we here? Place, what is this place we call home?
This isn’t just a slogan; it’s much more. Whether it’s a freshman just coming to Rocky or a visitor entering the building for the day, the commitment to self, purpose and place can be seen in hallways and classrooms and on the athletic fields.
So what does “Self, Purpose, Place” signify? Each individual can interpret Self, Purpose, Place in different ways, but it includes everyone at Rocky. Principal, Mr. Crist encourages students and staff to find out what it means to them and to contribute to the Rocky community in the best way possible. If your sense of self is about starting a club or getting involved in an existing club, you can find your people and yourself. Maybe it’s sports or other activities where you can most be who you want to be.
Purpose is the reason we are all here. Having a purpose is the reason we show up every day. It may mean dedicating yourself to something that is bigger than yourself–a goal or a cause. It may also mean helping others or attaining something that is important to us.
“It can be interpreted differently by different people. So, I would challenge students to ask themselves, what does it mean to you? How can you connect to it? How can you relate to it?” Principal Crist said.
Mr. Crist’s back to school message addressed the importance of place–this place–for all of us. His commitment to the school coordinates and the number 1300, which represents the address of Rocky Mountain High School, is a visual, numerical representation of what we have here in our place.
Everyone has different values and beliefs that fit into the community and everyone brings different skills and talents–making this place unique and interesting.
“For me, Rocky, it’s really about this place because that is the mission statement and everybody brings something different to this place,” Principal Crist said.
The three word slogan is intended to keep Rocky’s culture alive and to remind students that we are part of a community and it takes all of us to keep this culture strong and vibrant. The self, purpose and place is what we bring here with us.
“I think it speaks to people of all walks of life,” Ms. Chastain said. “I think it helps them find community right away.”
Maybe you’ve never really thought about it, but you can be a significant part of the Lobo Way and the community found here. It just takes a little bit effort and getting involved where you can and doing what you are good at. We need everyone to make this school the best it can be!
How will you find your self, purpose and place here at Rocky Mountain High School?
