Puff, puff, chug, chug went the little blue engine. "I think I can- I think I can-I think I can-I think I can---I think I can."

     Up, up, up. Faster and faster and faster the little engine climbed until at last they reached the top of the mountain.

     Down in the valley lay the city.

     "Hurrah, Hurrah", cried the gay little clown and all the dolls and toys.

     "The good little boys and girls in the city will be happy because you helped us, kind, Little Blue Engine."

     And the little blue engine smiled and seemed to say as she puffed steadily down the mountain. "I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could."  

(The Little Engine that Could, Munk, aka, Piper, 1930)

Most parents remember reading to their children. The best choices could have come from any of the Newberry Medal and Honor Book awardees. Can you name the 2011 winner? (answer, at the end). The great thing about great children's literature is that great books convey lessons in tolerance, loss, comeuppance, curiosity, forthrightness and conflicted feelings, among other notions.

Regarding the coming months, take time to reflect on the job you have done with your youngster. If you have a senior, you are nearing the end of a significant stage and the empty nest is not far off. If your child is heading to better climbs, you'll now have time to convert that empty bedroom into an aviary or workout room.

If you have a first-year student (freshman, for the politically incorrect) you still have some time to affect great changes in your child's approach to school and its itinerant work requirements. Let 'em know, business before pleasure and the light that burns twice as bright burns half as long. Use all the Ben Franklin, Abe Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt and Captain Kangaroo verbal jiu jitsu you can to teach them that priorities matter and their efforts and energies have both good and bad consequences. Most of all let them know that it's perseverance that sets them apart, that builds character and that shows doubters and naysayers what they're made of. Few great things are ever done easily. School is Grindstone 101.

Regarding applicability to College Tips, the message should not be lost that about 45 percent of IRHS students go on to attend a four-year university and about 45 percent go on to two-year schools. Those are okay statistics. We're mostly happy that our graduates leave the school with valid and defined aspirations and the ability to realize those aspirations.

Along those lines, the Guidance Office just delivered guidance curriculum to nearly all IRHS sophomores regarding the Arizona Career Information System (AzCIS)  

The Arizona Department of Education mandates that all middle and high school students leave school with defined career and college goals. IRHS once used Kuder Navigator to assist in documentation of our efforts. Kuder is still active but we've moved forward to a better system. All students can and should be using AzCIS now. We ask that your sophomore apprise you of efforts made on AzCIS and that you use that online system with your child to develop planning skills. Guidance will certainly be using AzCIS for the remainder of your child's high school career. AzCIS is not a go-through-the-motions, fill-the-squares, one-off activity. Rather, it's meaty career goodness.

Finally, if your children are searching for a mantra to repeat when cleaning up the yard, approaching homework, doing the dishes, please do reacquaint them with The Little Engine that Could. Perseverance never goes out of fashion.

(ANSWER: 2011 Newberry Medal Winner: Moon Over Manifest, Vanderpool)