Voices of the Children
Changes in attitudes never come easily. The development of love and compassion is a wide, round curve that can be negotiated only slowly, not a sharp corner that can be turned all at once. It comes with daily practice.
Cody Weight has transformed his pain into empathy and action for others. As a young school boy, Cody tells stories of constant harassment, and incessant bullying. His ignorance soon turned into the realization that school was not a safe place, not in elementary school, junior high or even high school.
Cody is a senior at Mountain Cove High School. He transferred to this school over tow years ago. Mountain Cove is a school of diversity and acceptance. Cody exemplifies the tolerance the study body and staff have for one another. However, Cody has redefined what tolerance means.
Cody is often seen moving over to the student that is sitting alone, introducing himself and asking if he can “eat lunch with them”, be their work partner in a class project or just interact so that his peer doesn’t feel alienated. Cody believes everyone should feel welcome, and he acts on this daily. He begins all conversations with staff and teachers with “How are you?” and/or “Did you have a nice weekend” or “You look nice today”. Interaction with Cody begins with his interest in you. Not for pleasantry sake, rather because he values you. As one of the school secretaries’s stated, “He is so nice. He treats me like a human being who is cared about, not just used.” “I like this young man; he treats me like I want to be treated. All of his teachers received hand made valentines. The effort was evident, and the valentines were artwork. Cody knows what the nice thing would be to do, and then he actually does it.
Last year, Cody spearheaded the school’s Idaho Food Bank Food Drive. He went to every classroom, on his own time and encouraged his peers to raise their expectations and aim high at helping others. Our school received the state trophy for the most pounds per student collected. The school shined as a direct result of Cody’s extra push.
He volunteered at Garfield Elementary and took extra pains to make sure all students felt included. He often stated, “I don’t want anyone to feel the way I did when I was in school”. His calm reassuring voice and gentle demeanor made him a favorite to all of the elementary youngsters. Cody participated in the Americorp Martin Luther King Junior service project working with YMCA Daycare children helping create tiles about diversity. Each time he has worked with youngsters, you can feel the empathy and genuine care he holds for each child.He worked overtime setting up for our school’ prom, on his own initiative and on his own time. He just wanted everyone to have a good time and, “Our school deserves the best.” He is loyal to our school, his friends and his causes. He began a support group at school for students of diverse sexual orientation. He simply believed that all students should have the opportunity to belong to a group where they felt comfortable. Cody also volunteers at ALPHA, an organization dedicated to educating anyone on HIV/AIDS and prevention of its spreading. Cody is dependable and spreads hope and courage to the people he meets.
Cody makes this world a gentler place; a place where compassion is tangible and practiced. It is an honor for me to nominate Cody Weight, on of Idaho’s Stars.