The Honorable Judge Selene Dunn Maddox, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Mississippi told students at Indianola Academy that no matter how many times she hears the phrase “All rise” when she enters the courtroom it still gives her a great feeling.
“Not a time goes by that I don’t say thank you. And I mean that,” she said. The judge said not only is she thanking her court officer, but she is also thanking God for allowing her to be where she is today.
Maddox was the guest speaker at Indianola Academy’s most recent Chapel program.
The 1980 IA graduate was invited back to speak to this year’s crop of students to share her story and words of encouragement. Maddox began with the rhetorical question, “How did I get to where I am today?”
She told the students about the important role her family played in her life. “Without my family, I would not be where I am today,” she said. Maddox became visibly emotional as she especially praised her mother for the role she played. “My mother was the guiding inspiration in my life,” she added.
Maddox shared that her mother was a staunch advocate of education and mentioning that she and all of her siblings got their education at IA, she told the students to take advantage of their resources.
Calling a few by name, Maddox credited several teachers, who were at the school during her time, with leading, guiding and encouraging her and she acknowledged them as the driving force of her success.
She said it was the encouragement and support from her mother and teachers that instilled within her the desire to do something great with her life. She said getting to where she is took a lot of hard work, and even though she was continually on the honor roll Maddox said looking back she feels as if she could have done a lot more.
She talked about developing a strong work ethic. “There were times in my life that I didn’t work to earn money to buy things that I wanted, but it was because I needed to work to buy things that I needed,” she said.
Maddox strongly recommended to the students that they set goals for themselves, both long-term and short-term and work toward achieving those goals. She then asked who had set objectives, if any of those future plans included college and if they had thought about which career path they would take.
She encouraged them to set goals if they had not and criticized the thought of them remaining stagnant. “Set it, achieve it, be proud,” she said. Maddox then shared from her 32-year career in law and expressed how they may experience highs and lows along the way, but they shouldn’t feel defeated. “You go home, you regroup, you refresh. That’s how I got through,” she said.
She told the crowd that things may not always go their way, but they should still make a point of learning something from it.
“Learn something everyday,” she said. Maddox stressed the importance of reassessing their priorities daily and further encouraged the students to live right, live good lives and be kind to others.
Adding that they should love God and love themselves, Maddox said don't lose sight of the little things in life, don't lose sight of your faith.
