Speaker Urges Students To Seek Greatness
Suicide Awareness Walk
Students from throughout the area were invited to the Fort Peck Tribal Health’s annual Native Connections’ walk in honor of Suicide Awareness Prevention Month on Friday, Sept. 13, in Poplar.
Montana’s suicide rate has ranked among the five highest in the nation for the past 30 years including ranking number one from 2019 to 2022. Suicide is the leading cause of preventable death for ages 10 to 14 in Montana, Joshua Stewart, two-time state champion basketball coach in Lodge Grass, provided inspirational words to the students prior to the annual walk.
Stewart noted that he loves to develop leadership and character through sports. He said a championship mindset stresses in order home, class and gym.
“Be a warrior within, be a champion within,” he said. Stewart urges the students to show respect at home and display manners.
Stewart said boys turn into men and that men shouldn’t be soft.
“Be proud of who you are and where you come from,” he said.
He continued that the world can be cold, dark and means, but warriors need to remain strong.
“Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Take ownership of yourself,” Stewart said.
He also stressed the importance of counting on each other.
“To be a champion, you can’t do it alone,” he said. “Be responsible for yourself and your decisions, but you need each other.”
Stewart explained that counting on others helped him overcome depression after his brother committed suicide.
“Thank God for these brothers of mine. You guys need each other,” he said.
He told the students that they should seek greatness.
“Mediocrity is easy, greatness is hard. Comfort is the friend of mediocrity,” Stewart said. “From here on out, chase greatness. Greatness is doing the little things every day.”
