On a day of love, where so many students find reasons to laugh and celebrate, others may feel more isolated. Carpentry student, Phillip Johnson received a standing ovation when he spoke on this topic at today’s Valentines Day student body rally.

Phillip talked of those who may have lost a loved one permanently, or a love of the moment, and how days like today can make one feel depressed and unworthy. But the answer to the sadness is Gratitude. He spoke of identifying and appreciating the positives in our lives, and the need to recognize and fight against the negatives. He relayed the Gratitude teachings of his family and how it took him several years, and many experiences to understand exactly what they were talking about.

It was a somber straight-from-the-heart topic at a time students are jovial, and preparing for tonight’s Valentines Dance, but it was appreciated by the student body as they remembered their own difficult times and the need to be sensitive to their friends and peers.