Last week, I wrote about the importance of developing and educating forward-thinking young men. The topic made me think about my days as a principal in Topeka, Kansas. I’ll never forget a young boy who was enrolled in my middle school after he had recently moved to the area as a new student. Prior to moving to Topeka, he had grown up on the Potawatomi Indian Reservation approximately twenty miles north of Topeka. He had moved away from the reservation to live with a relative after some family … [Read more...]
Look for the Helpers
On a beautiful fall morning 16 years ago, our nation’s collective consciousness was shattered by the horrific attacks on the World Trade Center. That day, our shared belief in the safety of our nation and its borders was instantly changed into a sense of disbelief, fear and anger, all of which persist to this day. However, despite the negative ramifications of that fateful day, I’d like to remember a bright spot, reminiscent of which I witnessed this past week in the way first responders and … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: God Bless the U.S.A.
Today marks the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that destroyed New York’s World Trade Center. This cataclysmic event will forever be cited as an important historic event that marked the ending of one era and the beginning of a new, more uncertain period for our country and its place in the world. Today, with so much divisiveness in our society, one thing we collectively share as a nation is the remembrance of the horrific events of that day. They will remain indelibly etched in our … [Read more...]
More Alike than Different
Because of my own mental health struggles in adolescence, I have always been a passionate supporter of programs serving early teen students. In fact, one of the most important life lessons I learned over five decades of working in academia is that, despite their diversity in terms of ethnicity, religion or class, teenage kids tend to struggle with similar issues – the need for acceptance, the desire for respect and an insatiable curiosity about the world and all that’s in it. A Teenager with … [Read more...]
The Resilience of Children
As I continue to watch coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and ponder the long-term effects this life-changing event will have on the affected children, I am reminded of the many students I have worked with over the years. During my long career as a teacher, a school administrator and a university professor, I came across literally thousands of students from a broad swath of backgrounds and national origins, many of whom struggled with emotional issues induced by trauma. What I … [Read more...]
