Thank you to Benjamin Harrison, a 2019 PFL Scholarship winner, for providing this blog.

I am honored to be of the recipients of the 2019 Prepared for Life Character Scholarships provided by the Lutzie43 foundation. It means so much to me to be chosen for this scholarship and I would like to thank the Lutzie43 foundation for this opportunity. Phillip’s legacy is one that is engrained in the community I grew up in. From my days at Mabry Middle school to now, I’ve heard stories about Phillip, how he walked the halls with a big smile, how he could be a strong leader and also be a friend, and of course about some of the plays he made on the field. As a junior at Lassiter, I had the opportunity to be part of an Lutzie43 Leadership ASE,  an academic support and enrichment time that meets 3 days a week at Lassiter. Along with other scholar-athlete leaders, we studied and shared thoughts, ideas, stories and lessons based on the “43 Lessons to Legacy”. I took many of these lessons to heart when leading Cross Country and Track. In my experience as a leader for the Lassiter running program, there were some things that the other leaders on the team and I wanted to change about the culture of the team and it was a struggle, but by learning from mistakes and from leaders above us we were able to institute many cultural shifts into what it meant to be a Lassiter runner. 

Mr. Lutzenkirchen came to speak to us a few times and preached to us the importance of Lutzie43 message of Live, Love, Learn. The story I always remember is that one in which Philip took a young special needs girl to her prom. This shows how loving of a person Philip was and how he was not one to judge, but rather one to accept. This inspired me to be a part of the Lutzie43 adaptive field day and join Trojan Buddies, a special needs inclusion club at Lassiter. 

The lesson that stuck most with me during my studies of the 43 Lessons to Legacy was Lesson 13: Humble. A quote my father shared with me as a child, by President Harry Truman said: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” People today focus so much on who gets the credit for something and focus less on what that something is. A true leader is working for the common good and doesn’t always get the recognition they deserve, but that should not stop them from doing what is right. Remaining humble, knowing you did the right thing, and staying true to your morals is what keeps a leader strong. I plan to carry my “43 Lessons to Legacy” with me to the next chapter in my life and continue to learn from these powerful lessons. I am so thankful for the Lutzie43 foundation and all they do for the community.