Every day students and teachers make their way past the library, not noticing that their feet are grazing over inspirational words. It is not unusual for them to ignore these words when they are in such a hurry to get from point A to Z, ignoring the other 24 letters in between. How can these words inspire and encourage San Jose City College students, if they cannot see them?

Since their completion in May 2003, these words have been walked over, rained and drawn on, or have not been given a second thought; but for these students they still have meaning. So what exactly are these words and what do they mean to SJCC students?

Curiosity: “Fulfill your dreams.”
— Felicia Martinez, general education

Truth: “Liberty to choose”
— Angela Zavala, international business

Opportunity: ““Opportunity means meeting new people.”
— Rebecca Nacu, undecided

Achievement: “Achieving your goal at the end gives our sense of being proud of what you achieved.”
— Angela Zavala

Freedom: “I am able to choose what I want and be a woman.”
— Esmeralda Candelario, nursing

Discovery: “Learning and growing.”
— Brett Hulet, emergency paramedic technician

Wisdom: “Taking your mistakes and learning from them. In school or out of school, use them to better yourself.”
— Brittany Azevedo, general education

History: “Learning from the past helps you see the future in a better way.”
— Brittany Azevedo, general education

Life: “Its like hunger, you can’t live without it, because their is good and bad.”
— Danita Vera, nursing

Genius: “Everybody is a genius in their own fi elds.”
— Olivia Reason, journalism/dance