May 14, 2010

This week puts us halfway through May—where has it gone?!? I know you’re all as busy as one-armed paper hangers with all the year-end activities happening and being planned for. Lots of excitement in the air!

Anyone who knows anything about OHP knows that we’ve really embraced social networking (well, most of us have). I can’t say the “bug has bitten” me, other than doing this blog. Did any of you see Betty White on Saturday Night Live last weekend talking about Facebook? I laughed so hard I cried! I’m not quite her age (88), but I completely related to her opinion of Facebook being pretty much a waste of time. I, too, have a hard time understanding why high-school classmates I haven’t seen or talked to in over 33 years would expect me to have any interest in their kids' prom pictures. I created a Facebook page during a workshop probably two years ago, I never posted a picture, and I’ve only been back to my page once. However, in all seriousness, I have seen (through Shane’s eyes) the tremendous marketing tool Facebook and other social networking tools have been for OHP, and I’m beginning to see on a personal level how it can help to connect to long-lost friends, coworkers, employers—just about anyone! So I guess I shouldn’t knock it until I’ve tried it—I mean really tried it. Good for all of you who are using it productively!

Tuesday morning I attended the Union County Business-Education Workforce Team meeting and heard updates on the committee’s work to connect educators and students to the workforce. One of their projects, Workplaces of Today & Tomorrow, will be implemented this summer. This week-long program will put educators into multiple workplace settings and give them an opportunity to write curriculum related to real-world skills. Educators can also earn college credits. We’re really excited to get this program off the ground! If you’re interested, let me know or contact the Union County Chamber.

Wednesday evening was the annual FFA Awards Banquet on our Main Campus. Always a wonderful evening! The students get really “dolled up” (or “duded up” for the guys, I guess), and they conduct a very professional program. Their special guest was Ike Kershaw from the Ohio Department of Education (Office of Career-Technical Education). I’m amazed at the many areas our FFA students compete in and the various awards they earn. Thank you to our chapter for the invitation and the privilege of giving the welcome!

I’ve got a great story to share about the “payoff” of building relationships with our legislators. As I shared several weeks ago, State Senator Karen Gillmor visited our campus. I don’t believe she had ever been on a career center campus before, and she was amazed at what we offer students of all ages. You may also have heard about recently proposed legislation which would require all schools to provide 30 minutes of physical activity for students daily. While we certainly agree with the need for healthy eating and exercise, it would simply be impossible for us to carve 30 minutes out of our already shortened day without sacrificing academic or lab time. Senator Gillmor is the vice-chair of the committee which drafted legislation this week, and we were able to get our message in front of the committee in two ways: First, our Urbana Board Member and Legislative Liaison Warren Stevens travelled to Columbus to testify in front of the committee regarding the shortened day we have due to transportation of students from five counties and the fact that our students spend roughly half of their day up and active in their labs. And I was able to get a message to Senator Gillmor prior to the hearings echoing those same concerns. She heard us loud and clear! She proposed an amendment to the legislation exempting career centers from the legislation, which is a huge relief to us. So . . . thanks to all of you who impress our legislators (and others) each and every time they visit—whether it be the warm welcome they get from our office staff, the unique learning opportunities they observe in our labs and classrooms, or the beautiful campus we maintain. Please never underestimate the impact you make or the benefits your efforts might reap in the future!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the sunshine!