The human spirit is remarkable. Take Musharf “Mushy” Asghar, a high school student who gained fame on the British reality TV series Educating Yorkshire. With a serious speech obstacle to overcome, Mushy exhibits a powerful combination of courage and will.
Add a teacher, Matthew Burton, who simply won’t give up on his student, who is open to sources outside the typical curriculum for inspiration (in this case, the Academy Award-winning film The King’s Speech), and who is committed to educating in the purest form – i.e., raising up and bringing forth the whole human being.
Mix in another important factor: a brilliant school where excellence means much more than a race to the top, but a journey of mind and heart measured as much by quality of character as test scores. What you get is sheer Inspiration – what “no child left behind” really means.
Notice the faces of Mushy, his supportive friends, his teachers in the auditorium and especially the tough boys in the front row. Grit + Grace + Gratitude equals Transformation.
Update: Musharaf is studying at college thanks in no small part to Mr. Burton and all the faculty at Thornhill. He’s hopeful that he can be a role model for young people with speech issues, advising: “Even if you do have a stutter don’t be afraid.”
Rabbi Irwin Kula is a 7th generation rabbi and a disruptive spiritual innovator. A rogue thinker, author of the award-winning book, Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life, and President-Emeritus of Clal – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, he works at the intersection of religion, innovation, and human flourishing. A popular commentator in both new and traditional media, he is co-founder with Craig Hatkoff and the late Professor Clay Christensen of The Disruptor Foundation whose mission is to advance disruptive innovation theory and its application in societal critical domains. He serves as a consultant to a wide range of foundations, organizations, think tanks, and businesses and is on the leadership team of Coburn Ventures, where he offers uncommon inputs on cultural and societal change to institutional investors across sectors and companies worldwide.