Students: Getting to Know Them

How I came about being asked to speak to a group of 8th graders was simple: I emailed all of the local middle school principals in the county that I work in and expressed how I would like to come speak to their 8th graders about their future.  Of about 6 middle schools only 2 schools responded to my email and 1 of the 2 actually invited me to come and address their 8th graders.  I was so excited because I was going to be able to go in and get to connect with these students, but what I wasn't prepared for was the attitude that the school staff showed for the students.  The only person who truly seemed to care about these students was their guidance counselor, hence the reason she invited me.  There were about 4 other school staff attending my presentation and only 3 of those (including an assistant principal) really cared about what I was saying and cared that their students listened.
The main purpose of me meeting and speaking to this group of 8th graders was to talk to them about college, but see what I've learned about students is that if they don't think you care about them they ain't gonna listen.  So when I went in I examined the group of students before me and I made sure to make eye contact with each and every one of them, which made them understandably uncomfortable. I like to make eye contact with them so that they can see that I'm really serious and that I'm really just here to get to know you and help you.  After the counselor introduced me (she called me Mrs. Green, but anyway LOL) I took the floor and greeted the students who were surprisingly responsive!  I told them my rules for when I'm speaking to them and then I went into my story about my time in middle school and how I visited ISS SEVERAL times.  I also told them about the time that I tried stealing from Walmart in the 7th grade, as well as the time that I got kicked off of the cheerleading squad because I had one too many referrals.  I had their attention, but I already knew this.  Students need leadership and they need guidance, but they also need to feel like you understand where they are coming from.  I'll have to admit that I wasn't really sure how I was going to get to them, but God helped me out the day before.
The day before I happened to be at one of the high schools that I work at once a week and this same group of 8th graders was there participating in a campus tour.  One thing that I like about this county is that they allow all 8th graders to come and tour each high school, as well as get acquainted with the clubs and teams that they have to offer.  So I'm watching the students and one of the school staff says, "It's a shame, but I already know what they're going to be".  I said, "Really, how is that?".  She says, "I can just look at them, you can just look at them and tell who's going to do what once they get here".  I disagreed, I said, "I have no idea how they're gonna be, but I'm going to get to know them.". 
It's important for me to get to know that students I'm speaking with because I want to help them understand that not so long ago I was sitting exactly where they are (just in a different state).  I eventually got around to talking about the program that I run and how beneficial it is going to be for their future, but first they needed to know that no matter what they've done up until this point, they can still be whatever they hope to be.  I think that schools theses days are only concerned with numbers, test scores, school grades, keeping their job, performing well, but they're missing the one key reason they're in the profession: the STUDENTS.