Reach far beyond the stars when chasing your dreams

Shannon Thon usually is in a classroom setting with the Cornell School District, but May 15, she was in front of select students and their parents, for the Cornell Lions Honors program. There, she spoke about how her life took a different path from the one she started out on, but that it was OK and led to her following her dreams. Photo by Joy Dain

By Ginna Young

Shannon Thon serves as an elementary special education teacher at Cornell, but before then, her path went a different way, which she shared May 15, as the special speaker at the annual Cornell Lions Honors program. Thon graduated from Cornell High School in 2006, then went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in family consumer science.

She planned on becoming an athletic trainer, but found out anything involving the medical field was not for her. Thon returned to Cornell, where she substitute taught and ran the after-school program, but she eventually went back to school for a special education degree.

“The reason I bring this up, is to remind you change is OK,” she said. “Change is not something to be feared, but instead, something to be embraced.”

Thon knows that’s not always easy, but that you need to surround yourself with people to support and challenge you to be better.

“As silly as this sounds, reach for the stars,” said Thon. “Or, better yet, reach past them.”

Dreams and passions are not enough, though, as work is needed to reach the place you want to be. Thon believes if you don’t give up, the struggle is worth it.

“The future is yours, make it great.”