Some profound insight, often garnished with random rants, tirades and left-field comments, from a cook turned teacher
The Road through Kansas City, Part 1
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain
As I have grown older, I like to think that I have grown wiser. In fact, I know I have grown more emotionally aware. When people move away, I feel a dark shadow fall across my spirit, conscious of life being a series of hellos and good-byes. When my children reach milestones, I realize that I am growing older and will not always be the same, steadfast ball of energy that I am today; as much as I fight it, I know my little, curly-haired, Barney-carrying, lightning-fearing baby starts high school in the fall. With age, I find wisdom in uncommon situations, from uncommon sources; I am aware of my conscience more than ever. President Jed Bartlett’s weekly dose of ‘doing what is right’ on the The West Wing left me dumbfounded with enthusiasm, unparalleled optimism or even just a modicum more intelligent from merely understanding his diatribe. Profound inspiration comes from The Last Lecture that left me in tears as I read it, in one sitting, at Borders; captivated by facing mortality yet drawing inspiration from confronting death with humility and chutzpah; what a site I was, a hulking, bald guy, weeping into an unpaid copy of a book on a Wednesday afternoon, masking a tear-streaked face by faking allergies and inexplicable sneezing! Even explicably dark reaches of the mundane, as plebian as the nightly news grinds at my raw nerve-endings; I do not avoid the news for fear of all the depressing forays down crime-riddled streets and journeys into mistake-plagued hospitals. Rather, I watch the news to be acutely aware of what is right with the world (for the most part) and, perhaps, what I can offer in my own little way. In all, I am more sensitive as my hair has thinned, my waist expanded and patience grown longer as I collect rings in my tree trunk. I like to dole out what wisdom I have gathered as nostalgia run amuck.
This time of year, following the close of yet another school semester, I feel uneasy. Routine has been displaced and the days seem to last forever without much induced substance that doesn’t originate from my own little realm; few deadlines and even less structure make for difficult time-management issues; an hour of writing per day, an hour of housework, an hour of walking and an hour of schoolwork each day is the plan as the days grow warmer. Before I get to settle into my non-routine routine, one humungous blast of inspiration is just on the horizon. All that emotion that I bottle so conveniently along with the inspiration I draw from the most peculiar of sources gushes and spews as I accompany a group of students to SkillsUSA national competitions in Kansas City.
In short, SkillsUSA is an organization that promotes sustaining a skilled workforce. This is accomplished by bringing together employers, advisors, educators and students on the local, regional and national level through programming, service and competition. This really is the short version. It is a culture and a way of thinking; building camaraderie, refining skills, risk-taking and pushing the limits of endurance are all parts of the SkillsUSA mindset. I am not a paid endorser of this organization. However, I am an addict. Seeing over 5,000 students (yes, Kids!) standing shoulder to shoulder competing in their respective areas of study is as inspirational as it gets. There can not be a soul that would argue with the potential of our young citizenry after baring witness to the sheer fascination these competitors have with proving their ability, tenacity and drive.
This journal will chronicle the week of activities in Kansas City, including some background as to how our crew has prepared to meet the rigors of national competition. This part of the journey starts June 22nd with our arrival in Missouri.
State Baking Competition... finished products:
State Hot Food Competition... knife work display:
State Hot Food Competition... finished products:
Waiting for Results at the State Awards' Ceremony:
School Medalists, 40 going on to National Competition:
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Comments
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A 'fit for purpose' workforce, Jim? How GREAT would that be...?!
Congratulations, you are obviously a teacher who still cares about your students.. and there are precious few of us left, including this side of the pond.Posted 06-18-2009 at 04:26 AM by Ishbel
