{"id":39741,"date":"2022-05-12T20:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-12T20:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/press-room.saatva.com\/?p=39741"},"modified":"2025-11-21T19:30:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:30:07","slug":"how-being-principal-for-a-day-changed-me-for-a-lifetime","status":"publish","type":"leadership_article","link":"https:\/\/press-room.saatva.com\/articles\/how-being-principal-for-a-day-changed-me-for-a-lifetime\/","title":{"rendered":"How Being Principal for a Day Changed Me for a Lifetime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Ron Rudzin, CEO & Founder of Saatva<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve written before<\/a> about my involvement with PENCIL<\/a>, a terrific organization in New York that brings local business leaders together with public school students to share knowledge and create opportunities. Their marquee event, which happens every spring, is called Principal for a Day<\/a>, when PENCIL volunteers spend a day in the classroom interacting with students. It\u2019s happening this year on May 19th, and I can\u2019t wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I first got involved with the program a couple of years ago, when PENCIL\u2019s then-chairman invited me to take part in Principal for a Day. Since then I\u2019ve deepened my commitment to PENCIL, joining the board last year and recruiting Saatva team leaders to serve as mentors to the students and partners to the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That first year I asked to be placed in a high school in Queens, the borough where I grew up and where Saatva is headquartered. I was paired with a very special school, called Newcomer\u2019s High School<\/a>. Unique among New York City public schools, it serves immigrants newly arrived in this country, with the goal of making them future leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I walked through the door, I had no idea of the impact the experience would have on my life, both personally and professionally. Here are a few things I learned that still guide me today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opportunity is everything. <\/strong>The students at Newcomers are there because they want to succeed in their new country. They are the embodiment of the American Dream, hungry to learn what they need to know in order to contribute. I\u2019d never seen a more enthusiastic group of kids in my life. For these students\u2014as for any motivated young person, wherever they\u2019re from\u2014the key to success is equal access to opportunity. Their motivation has inspired me to devote time, energy, and resources to level the playing field for these young people, and to encourage my peers in the business community to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Difference doesn\u2019t matter. <\/strong>I had lunch with the Newcomers student body council, and it was amazing. The students came from six different countries, and the way they worked together in absolute harmony was nothing short of breathtaking. They were unified in their focus on their goals, regardless of differences in language or culture. In a world that is often so divided, seeing this diverse group focus on what they had in common was, for me, the picture of what it means to win in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Success starts with belief (but it doesn\u2019t end there).<\/strong> Some of the students at Newcomers, like many of those served by PENCIL, are facing big challenges. They may be struggling to learn a new language or lack financial resources. But almost every kid had an extraordinary attitude and a belief that they had arrived in a place where they could learn and succeed. For that I credit the school, which provides students with a range of social, emotional, and academic support services. But no matter how motivated they are, kids who don\u2019t have adequate food, proper shelter, or warm clothes can\u2019t live up to their full potential. As a corporate leader, I\u2019m in a position to help with material support as well as mentoring. The students have made me more mindful about sharing some of the goodness I\u2019ve enjoyed in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As special as my experience with Newcomers School has been, I\u2019m equally excited about my pairing this year. On May 19th I\u2019ll be Principal for a Day at Flushing High School, my alma mater. I can\u2019t wait to discover what the students there will teach me.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article has been reposted on LinkedIn<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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