Merry Christmas

Well it is only one week until Christmas day. I hope everyone will enjoy their time off and take time to celebrate with friends and family. Christmas time is always such a hectic time with all the visiting we do, all the meals and the preparation, and of course the presents. This season is also a time to reflect, relax and enjoy. I hope each and everyone of you will find time to do just that. I don't think we will be having a white Christmas this year or have the chance to use those new sleds or ice skates. I have a feeling that it won't be this nice all winter but I have to admit, I sure am enjoying the nice weather we had last weekend and earlier this week.

I know as we get closer to Christmas, a lot of us will experience sadness and excitement. We remember the loved ones who are no longer with us but yet we celebrate with the young ones in our life. I am looking forward to my first Christmas with my little granddaughter Sierra. She is nine months old now and the excitement on her face when she looks at all the lights and decorations is so precious. We must remember to never let the sadness ruin the simple joy of the children. Most of them have not lived long enough to go through the sadness and suffering that us older adults have gone through. I believe we should allow them to see all the brightness, happiness and joy that comes with this season. So of course there will be sad memories but we can also make so many more happy memories for all of those around us. I hope you will take time this vacation to listen to the music, enjoy the company and find time to laugh. I realize many of us have so many traditions that we try to keep up every year, but if those traditions are keeping you so busy that you don't take time to relax, then maybe it is time to re-think those traditions.

I will be taking some time off from this blog until we return to school in January. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year. Thanks to all of you who continue to read and enjoy my blog. Enjoy the holidays!!!

A Little Lunch & A Lot of Love

In a recent post, I wrote about our receptionist who makes our students feel welcome and cared for. Well it just so happens that I need to write about another person at our school who also has a wonderful connection with our students. The reason I need to write this blog so soon is because this person is leaving us this Friday. I am talking about Mrs. Marie Bentz. Marie is one of our lunch ladies and will be retiring this Friday. Marie and I started almost the same time here at Vantage. This is Marie's eleventh year serving lunch to our students and it will be a sad day for Vantage when she finally steps away.


Don't get me wrong, I am so happy for Marie and her family. I know she will enjoy her retirement and continue to make the most of every day. The reason she will be missed so much is that Marie doesn't just serve lunch to our students. Every day Marie is also serving smiles, warmth and a whole lot of love to our students. I am sure if you asked Marie about this, she wouldn't even realize that she is doing such a thing. However, I notice and the students notice. I don't even know how Marie does it day after day but she does. She always has a great big smile and treats each student with such respect and warmth. Marie probably doesn't realize the impact she has had on these students but we at Vantage recognize it. I can tell all of you personally that I know firsthand how much a smile or a friendly greeting means to our students. If it is only for that quick moment in the lunch line that they feel loved and respected, then that means the world to them. They feel significant. They feel someone cares. I will also tell you that the students can also recognize when someone is genuine or they are "faking" it. They are not easily fooled. Marie never has to "fake" it. Her love and care is genuine. She has a spirit that just glows with love and compassion. I know that there have been some hard days for Marie in the past year, but she continued to smile and treat the students with love. When I would talk to her about the things going on in her life, she smiled and just simply stated that her family was doing fine and God continues to bless them. What a great attitude and beautiful spirit.

Marie has helped me an awful lot in my job. It is no secret that the counselor often has to deal with issues that can be very difficult and issues that really tug at the heart. Well if I am having a hard day, I know when I go through the lunch line to get my milk, Marie will serve up a smile and ask me how I am doing. I am amazed that her smile can instantly make me feel better and make me realize that everything is going to be okay. I can only imagine how it makes our students feel when so many of them are having a rough day. I think an important lesson we can all take from Marie is this; no matter where you are at in life, no matter what your job, you can make a difference in a persons life. We all can. A friendly good morning or good evening to a fellow student, a smile when we pass by someone in the hall, or even a genuine "how are you doing" can go a long way. Show someone throughout the day that you care, really care (don't fake it), and just see what a difference you make.

Well I just want to say thank you Marie. You have made my years at Vantage that much more enjoyable and you have touched over 4500 students. 4500+ students have been affected by you when you possibly didn't even realize it. You will be missed Marie, but I will remember you always in my heart and you will be remembered always in the hearts of our students. Thank you again for always serving up a little lunch, but an awful lot of love.

Reaching Out To Help

The Building & Grounds program here at Vantage Career Center is helping out the community again. Like in so many years past, the Building & Grounds program reaches out into the surrounding communities to lend a hand and make life where we live a little bit better. I can think of a few things off the top of my head where they have made an impact in our area. They helped with the Van Wert Children's Garden, assisted in turning the old Van Wert armory into the new Wassenberg Art Center and put a roof on a shelter house in the Delphos community. These are just a few of the neat projects that our students work on.

A project that they are now working on, under the leadership of first year instructor Mr. Dave Delano, is completely gutting an old building in Van Wert and preparing it to be a brand new teen center called the Portal 2:20. I am really excited about this project because I believe it is something that is really needed for the youth in this area. The Portal 2:20 is a place just for teenagers. It is a non-profit organization created with a purpose. Their main focus is to create a facility where teens can hang out and spend time socializing with friends in an uplifting and encouraging atmosphere created just for them. They will tell you that they are not a youth center and they are different from most community centers. The Portal is only for teens in grades 6 through 12, and their atmosphere will be (as they say it), a little bit...well...nerdy.

The facility will have various video gaming systems, a stage to show off musical and singing talents, a large screen for movie nights, a concession stand where students can find snacks and drinks, tables, lounge seating, beanbag chairs and more - perfect for cozying up with a good book, finishing up homework, and socializing! BUT, there is more to it than just an activity center. Their purpose is to be a force for good in this community. Many of us are well aware of the struggles teens face today. Even amongst local teens, there are issues with drugs, violence, abuse, sexual promiscuity and other situations. Along with these issues, the Van Wert hospital says that almost 50 out of 1000 teens are coming to the hospital because of pregnancy. The Portal 2:20 will have caring volunteers who can mentor students and help them make better choices in life. Their mission is to help every teen know that they are Loved, Worthy, Valuable...and that they are Enough.

One of the main questions that gets asked is, "Will my child be safe?" The Portal 2:20 answers it this way; "We understand that teen centers have been attempted before in Van Wert. Rest assured, we ARE different. We have done our homework. We have many policies and procedures in place for our volunteers and facility so that while teens from all walks of life are welcome, we will maintain a safe and positive atmosphere free from drugs, violence, and other offenses." They are Christian based but they are not a church or run by a church. They are a stand alone non-profit organization that was started because they believed there was a need, and because they care about our youth. Any and all teens are welcome regardless of their beliefs, ideas, interests or life styles.

If you have further questions, please contact Julie Burk at portal220teencenter@gmail.com. You can follow them on facebook at www.facebook.com/PopcornAndBeanBagChairs or on the web at www.portal220.weebly.com. They are always looking for volunteers and help of any kind. This facility will be located at 108B Zimmerman Ave, next to Young's Trash in the complex at the very end of Main St. in Van Wert.

Christmas All Year Round

One of the magical things about Christmas is that it tends to bring out the best in everyone. Oh I know that we all run into the "scrooges" once in awhile, the people who think Christmas is commercialized and say "bah humbug" to everything. However, I am talking about the genuine kindness we see from so many others. The ones who reach out to help a total stranger or the ones who go out of their way to do something nice for someone else. We see it around the school at this time of year with many of our students. You can truly see the magic of Christmas when you look at all the toys accumulated for the "toss a toy" event and all the money raised by our students for needy families around this area.

I would simply like to take this time to say that there is a certain person around our school who carries this magical attitude of kindness and giving all year round. If you have ever walked in the front door of our building, then you have been met with a very kind greeting and a very warm welcome by our receptionist, Mrs. Diane Mercer. As the school counselor, I take notice of the kindness offered to our students, no matter where or when it happens. I can not tell you how many times I have walked into the front office to see a student who is feeling really lousy. One who is suffering from the flu, a cold, pounding headache or some other ailment. It is during these times that I see Mrs. Mercer very gently and calmly talking to these students and letting them know that they will be okay. She may then offer a glass of water, a piece of candy or anything that may help them until the parents come and pick them up. It is the kind words that make the student feel that they are in the presence of a kind and caring mother or grandmother. The words are healing enough to help ease the students pain or misery until they get picked up to go home.

Many times I have had Mrs. Mercer come to me and inform me that she was talking to a certain student and that they opened up to her about some of the issues and problems going on in their life. They do this because they trust her and they feel comfortable around her. Mrs. Mercer talks to them without any judgement and the student recognizes this. I have seen several students talking with her with tears in their eyes and a lump in their throat. I have also had Mrs. Mercer tell me their stories, with a tear in her eye and a lump in her throat. She does this because she cares and deep down wants to help. It is at this time when the student feels hopeless, that she gives them hope. I appreciate the love and kindness that Mrs. Mercer shows our students. I appreciate that she informs me when someone is hurting and that the students feel comfortable enough to open up to her. I appreciate that we have such an awesome group of staff members here at Vantage that really do care about our students and their well being. I also am glad that when I walk in the building in the morning, that I am greeted with a warm welcome and a friendly smile. I am glad that Mrs. Mercer has taught me that it really can be Christmas all year round. Thanks Diane, you're the best.

Book Fair & Toss A Toy

What an exciting time around Vantage this week. Mrs. Grothouse and her VCC class along with Mrs. Osenga and the Early Childhood class are leading the school's Toss A Toy drive this year. There are many families in the area that need help this season and all of us at Vantage can help. Earlier in the year they held a jeans day to start raising money. This Friday, they will be holding another fund raising event, the ugly sweater day. You must wear your uniform pants. No jeans tomorrow. It will cost you $1 to wear an ugly sweater. Prizes will be awarded based on the most ugly sweater, the ugliest Christmas sweater and the OMG what where you thinking sweater (school appropriate please). It should be a fun day. We are also having a penny stall tomorrow. Remember to fill those buckets with pennies so your instructor will have to count them all during your class, thus stall them from teaching. As always the tree is up on our stage and if you would like to donate a toy, please just drop it off in the sleigh. Vantage has made a huge difference for little kids in the past and we hope to continue this tradition. Please think about donating and enjoy the season!

I also want to remind everyone about the book fair coming to the library starting this Friday. Mrs Knodel has been doing this book fair for a lot of years and what a great success it is. What a great idea for doing some early Christmas shopping. All books are 30% off and there is NO TAX!!!  There will be more books than you could possibly imagine and one that is just right for that special person on your list.  I know the students track their reading time so why not pick up a book you would really enjoy and bury yourself in it over the holidays.

Well that is it for now. Don't forget to stop by the office and say hello and grab a piece of candy out of my freshly stocked bowl. The Christmas decorations are up in the office and waiting for all of you to enjoy. Have a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving

Well we just finished a great two days of parent / teacher conferences and we are very pleased with the turnout we had. It was great to see so many parents show such an interest in their child's education. I hope everyone will now enjoy the nice long vacation and find time to relax and get ready to start back next Tuesday.

I hope everyone takes time to be thankful for the things you have in life. I know at times it seems life can be difficult and frustrating, but I hope you will take time this Thanksgiving day to celebrate even the little things in your life that you are thankful for. Tell someone close to you how much they mean to you. Let your friends know that you are thankful they are in your life. Remember that on Thanksgiving day we set aside a day to celebrate and give thanks for friends, family and all the blessings we have in life. However, we should try to do this everyday, you will be surprised how much it can change your outlook in life.

Have a great Thanksgiving and remember, I am thankful that you allow me the privilege of being your school counselor.

Digital Footprint & College Admissions

As a school community there has been a significant amount of time and emphasis encouraging students to be smart about your digital footprint - the information that you are posting and sharing through various social media outlets. As a component of that, we have often mentioned that the internet and social media can impact your college admissions, scholarship offerings or even various job offerings. Below are a few articles that speak to this:

Do colleges look at prospective students' social media?

Colleges shift to using "big data" - including social media in admissions decisions

How Social Media can Ruin Your Application

College Admissions: Social Media Tune Up

Colleges are spying on applicants by quietly tracking them across the internet.


Number of Employees Passing On Applicants Due To Social Media Posts.


This is a perfect time to pause and critically look at your digital footprint and consider what it is saying about you and the impression you are giving to future college admissions officers, scholarship committee members, and potential employers. Please make smart choices about what you post online.
I would like to thank a fellow counselor of mine, Brianna, for this great advice.

Blue Chippers

Each quarter of the school year, we honor our outstanding students who have earned a 4.0 grade point average and perfect attendance for the most recent marking period. For the 1st quarter of this school year, I am proud to announce that we have nineteen students who have earned the honor of being Vantage Career Center Blue Chippers. These students are really the "cream of the crop". They have taken on the challenge that we offer every student when they come to Vantage; perform your very best, be here everyday and prepare yourself for future employment and/or college. These are the students that we would have no trouble recommending for a job or writing them a reference letter for college admission or for any scholarships. They come to school everyday, work hard and push themselves to be better than they were yesterday.

I like the Merriam-Webster definition of a blue chipper. The dictionary talks about a blue chipper in terms of a trading stock, in terms of an athlete and in terms of an asset. It states that it is a stock issue of high investment quality...and enjoys public confidence in its worth and stability. For the athlete, it states that it is an athlete rated as excellent. The final definition states that it is an outstanding worthwhile or valuable property or asset. I truly believe these blue chippers are a very valuable asset to Vantage Career Center. They set the bar for all our other students and they model to the other students what is expected of each of them. I understand that not every student is going to be a blue chipper. However, I would hope that all of you will work as hard as you can to do the best that you can. If you do that, and it doesn't make you a blue chipper next quarter, don't feel upset. Whenever you can look in the mirror and know that you worked as hard as you could, then you can be proud of yourself. You can take that philosophy with you the rest of your life and you will not be disappointed.

Today we honor our 1st quarter blue chippers. They celebrated with pizza during their lunch and were able to bring a staff member of their choosing. I hope if you see any of these students in your classroom or the hallways, you will congratulate them on a job well done. I personally would like to thank them and let them know I am very proud of what they have accomplished. Here is a list of the 1st quarter blue chippers:

Brooke Brown (Welding), Joe Callow (Ind. Mech), Justice Clark (Health Careers), Joey Frank (Elec), Levi Hiltner (Ind. Mech), Bryce Hoehn (Network Systems), Logan Jackson (Welding), Nathan Klima (Network Systems), Andrea Kremer (Int. Media), Aubrey Kremer (Int. Media), Zach McDaniels (Auto Tech), Marcy Shoppell (Culinary Arts), Jacob Sukup (Ag & Ind Powerplant), Trishakay Summers (Network Systems), Angela Tenwalde (Early Childhood), Darian Tijerina (Electricity), Austin Van Atta (Culinary Arts), Thomas Waldick (Network Systems), Mason Walton (Bldg/Gnds).

CONGRATULATIONS once again to our Blue Chippers for the first quarter!!!

Not Your Hallmark Holiday

This may seem like it is a little to soon to be writing about the holidays, but they really are just around the corner. I am hoping I can give you some information and some tips to help you through the holiday season and I hope that you would refer back to this post during the next six or seven weeks.

People often talk about the holiday blues or feeling depressed around the holiday season. There is a reason for this. Television, radio and advertisements try to make it feel like everyone is having a "hallmark" type of Thanksgiving or Christmas. If we aren't celebrating like they are on TV, then something must be wrong.  I don't know if you have noticed or not but the ABC Family channel is already running their 50 days of Christmas, or whatever they call it. I personally believe we rush into the holidays a little to early, but that is just my opinion. However, if you have been watching any of the movies on that channel, you will notice a certain theme. It seems like it is always snowing and people are taking sleigh rides through beautiful parks that are all lit up with Christmas lights. The Christmas music is playing, bells are ringing, and in the end everyone is gathered around the decorated table eating a feast made for kings. The movie usually ends with everyone holding hands and going about town singing Christmas carols. The commercials that are on TV can be another problem. It looks like everyone is out shopping and having a great time. They want you to believe that if you don't spend money, you won't be happy. They create the image that you must have everything that is being sold otherwise you won't have a very merry Christmas.

The truth is, the above scenario very rarely ever happens anymore. I don't know about you, but I haven't taken a sleigh ride and sang Christmas carols in a long time. I also realize many of our students have never experienced a Thanksgiving or Christmas like the ones depicted in the movies. I also realize many of you are worrying about what you will have for Thanksgiving dinner or how you will eat over the Christmas season. I hope I can offer you some tips and resources that you can use or maybe a friend of yours could use.

1) Don't expect the holidays to be the same as when you were a little child. They NEVER are. You are not the same as you where when you were a child.

2) Focus on what you have, not what you don't. Ignore the commercials where the husband surprises his wife with a brand new luxury car or a diamond ring. This only leaves you wondering, "What about me?" Remind yourself that it's not the stuff that makes the holidays important.

3) The holidays bring back memories of loved ones, I understand that. Give yourself permission to grieve, and deal with the loss in your own way. If you want to cry, go ahead. If you want to remember your loved one in a special way, go ahead. Light a candle, put together a scrapbook, decorate the grave stone with flowers, or whatever else you find comforting.

I have a short list of places where you may be able to get help with your meals during the holidays, please feel free to use these resources, they are there for you.

           - Trinity Friends Church across from Vantage. Weekly hours are Tuesday from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon and Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:30 pm.

           - Van Wert County Dept. of Jobs and Family Services: 419-238-5430. They can help with a short term family financial need of up to $1000.00

           - Salvation Army: 419-238-9100. They will be able to help or lead you to assistance.

           - Van Wert Ohio Community Action Commission: A regional non-profit that partners with local agencies like the United Way and local churches. Click here for their website.

           - Delphos Interfaith Thrift Store: Not for profit combination thrift store, food pantry and financial assistance entity. 419-692-2942

           - West Ohio Food Bank: A great resource. They work with churches all over Allen, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam and Van Wert counties. They will help. 419-222-7946. Click here for the list of Paulding county agencies, but you can also find all agencies for each county on this page.

And as always, please stop by and talk if you are having problems this holiday season. If you need food, clothing or just want to talk about some struggles you are having, my door is open for you. Thanks and I hope you relax and enjoy this holiday season.

8th Grade Tours

What a great start to our 8th grade tours today. Today, Monday, we had Crestview 8th graders visit us in the morning and the afternoon session we welcomed Parkway 8th graders. It is always so much fun to have the students visit us. One, it is neat to see the excitement on their faces as they walk through each one of our labs. We break the visitors up into 16 different groups, one group for each of our labs, and each group has six minutes per lab. This isn't a whole lot of time but it is just enough to give them a taste of what life is like at Vantage and all the interesting things that are available to them should they choose to come here as 11th graders. The eighth graders are allowed to do hands-on activities in many of the labs. It is always fun to see them use the plasma cutter in Auto Body and watch them jump when the sparks fly, or watch them use the Oculus Rift in Network Systems and see their reaction as they soar on a 3D roller coaster ride.

The second most interesting thing I enjoy watching is our current students and their reaction to the eighth graders. You hear things like, "I remember coming here as an eighth grader and it was really cool, it helped me decide which program I wanted". I even hear many of them saying, "I can't believe these guys are eighth graders, they look so young". It's really funny when our students realize that it has been three or four years ago since they were in eighth grade.

The main purpose for having the eighth grade tours is to give these students a chance to start exploring different career fields. For many of these students, it is their first time seeing how many different fields of work they can go into when they get older. Career advising is an important part of a students education. The state is now pushing that career advising begins at a very early age in the student's education. We need to let the younger students see that they have choices and options when they get older.

I also want to explain to our current students who are reading this. I understand that you are in a certain program here at Vantage. However, if you are not sure if this is the right one for you, come and talk to me about your options. Let's talk about what you want to do when you graduate and let's explore how your current program may help you in other fields. Career advising is an important part of my job here at Vantage and it is also important to Mr. Knott and the entire Vantage team. I hope if you have questions, you will stop by and talk with us. I also hope you will advise your friends to do the same if they have questions. We have a career advising plan here at Vantage that I have included. You can read it by clicking here if you are on our Vantage network.

Well tomorrow is day two of our eighth grade tours. I'm sure it will be very busy. Please take the time to welcome these students to our school. Strike up a conversation with them, ask them if they have any questions and tell them how much you enjoy Vantage. I also want to send out a great big thank you to our students who are leading the eighth graders around. All of you are doing an excellent job. Keep up the great work!

It's Okay To Make Mistakes

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could go through life and never make a mistake? Wouldn't it be great to live our entire life and know beyond a doubt that we never once messed up? Well the answer to those questions is NO. See, it wouldn't be a wonderful life because it simply means we didn't try new things in our life. It would mean that we never ventured into those areas we were so afraid to go and explore. It would lead to a less fulfilling life and one that wouldn't lead to much excitement and/or personal gain and knowledge. Obviously I am talking about mistakes that don't harm you or others. It's okay to make a mistake, especially when we learn from them.

Each school year, about this time, I deal with so many students who will not give their speech in Senior English because they are afraid to talk in front of the class. The students would rather take an "F" for the assignment then have to get up and speak in front of everyone. I realize that public speaking is one of the top fears that people have. This year however, it got me thinking more about peoples fears and what is behind the fear. As I searched a lot of articles on the subject, I found that a lot of our fears come from the idea of not wanting to make a mistake. Maybe we were told over and over again by our parents not to make mistakes. Maybe there was a time in our life that we were laughed at when we made a mistake and it has stuck with us forever. It is this idea of perfectionism and not making mistakes that leads us to being afraid of trying new things or afraid to get up in front of people and making a mistake. I know first hand that when I make a mistake, I am harder on myself than anyone would be. I tend to turn a little mistake into a great big deal and then I beat myself up about it for a few days. I think what we all need to realize is that when we do make a mistake usually no one else notices, and if they do, they really don't care. Think about it, when you see someone slip up in a speech, do you really care? Do you think about it for the rest of the day? I'm sure most of us could care less and we never think about it again.

The problem as I mentioned earlier is that when we fear making mistakes, it hinders us from trying new things. We never want to challenge ourselves or go out on the limb and stretch our comfort limits. I read an interesting article that was written by Margaret Kim and it was on how you can break free from the fear of making mistakes. There were seven great ideas that I hope you will think about. I know I will try them.

1. Determine where your desire for perfection comes from.
2. Examine your beliefs about making mistakes
3. Find instances that prove your beliefs wrong.
4. Develop new beliefs.
5. Be kind to yourself when you make mistakes (I need this one).
6. Make some mistakes. In other words, try something new.

Remember, making mistakes is how you learn. As I think of my granddaughter, I think of when she learns to walk. She will fall over and over again but she will not quit. She will keep at it until she learns to walk. We all did. See babies haven't learned negative associations from making mistakes. Maybe it's time we got rid of the negative associations we have and start walking into new areas that we have been afraid to try.

Exercise Your Rights

Civic Duty - The concept of civic duty is based on the principle that citizens owe some allegiance to their government and that government in turn protects its citizens. Civic duties refer to the responsibilities of citizens. Some examples of civic duties are obeying the law, serving on a jury, paying taxes and voting.

I have had the honor of being called for jury duty this week and it opened my eyes to civic duty. First of all, let me explain that I was not real crazy when I found out that I had to show up for jury duty this week. I had a whole lot of reasons why I didn't want to serve, especially this week. One of the main reasons I had for not serving was that it is Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) week, and I knew this would put a strain on student services and the staff. I also know that when I am gone for a day or two, the work load seems to be four times more when I get back. It just wasn't a convenient time and I was reluctant. However, I did show up and went through the entire process of being selected for jury duty. To watch all that goes on and to see how thorough the lawyers, judge, and court personnel were, was just amazing. It gave me a whole new respect for the system and how fair they try to make it for the defendant and everyone involved. It was very professional and first class. Unfortunately I was released from duty and did not get to experience the entire process. I now hope that I will get another chance some day and I can proudly perform my civic duty.

Another civic duty that many of us will have a chance to perform next week is the duty to cast your vote. I hope if you have reached the age of 18, that you have registered to vote in this election. I also hope that if you registered to vote, that you would exercise your right to vote next Tuesday. There are a lot of people who have fought for our right to vote and many who have died so that we would have the right to vote and to live in this great country. Every time you see a military personnel, I hope you thank them for their service. They are the reason why we can serve on a jury, and why we have the ability to vote. Please don't neglect this obligation that all of our citizens should take advantage of. There are people all over the world who would love to have the right to vote for the people or the issues that effect them.

So as I think about this week and next, I can't help feeling very patriotic and proud. It is easy to get frustrated with the things going on in this country and with things we don't agree with. However on Tuesday, we have a chance to let our voice be heard. We can say yes, I will perform my civic duty. I also hope if you ever get called for jury duty, you will look forward to the experience and proudly exercise your rights.

I Am Okay

According to Webster's dictionary, self-esteem is described as "a feeling of having respect for yourself and your abilities. Most of us struggle occasionally with feelings of low self-worth. However, a California task force to promote self-esteem and personal and social responsibility, points to poor self-esteem as the single factor underlying social problems such as welfare dependency and academic failure. They believe that the boosting of self-esteem correlates with the reduction of crime, drug use, and other antisocial activities. They stated that "self-esteem is like a vaccine. Once introduced into an individual's behavioral system, it can help one live responsibly and ward off the lures of crime, violence, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, child abuse, chronic welfare dependency, and educational failure". Wow! You can certainly see how building self-esteem in the youth of today is very important.

One might ask, "how does self-esteem become so low in our youth?". Well the answer is years and years of negative thoughts, put-downs and negative critical comments. Now I hope the students reading this are asking, "well how can I improve my self-esteem?". That's a great question because I believe that we should focus on the solutions, not focus on how we got there. There is a great website that has a long list of ideas. You can visit KidsHealth to see the complete list but I thought I would list a few for you here.

1) Manage your inner critic - Notice the critical things you say to yourself. The put-downs. Would you say these things to a good friend? Then don't say them to yourself.

2) View mistakes as learning opportunities - Accept that you will make mistakes. Everyone does. It's part of learning

3) Recognize what you can change and what you can't - If there is something you can change, begin working on it today. If it's something you can't change, learn to live with it and accept it.

4) Accept compliments - Wow, this is a good one. Don't blow off compliments. Think about them and accept them as real. People sometimes see what you don't.

These are just some of the ideas you can use. Also, remember to help build self-esteem in your friends and family. Encourage others and let them know how much you enjoy them and how special they are in your life. Point out the things that they are good at or things that are special about them. We all need positive self-esteem to be successful. If I can borrow from a Virginia Satir poem called "I AM ME", she says; "In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine because I alone chose it... I own me, and therefore I can engineer me - I am me and I am okay".

Heroes Among Us

Have you ever heard the saying, "It is better to give than to receive" or "Serving others will always bring you satisfaction"? Well maybe you haven't heard the second one, it's not as popular as the first one. I really don't even know where I picked it up from. However, I have found throughout my life and my various careers, that both sayings are really true. I really do believe when you serve others, it brings some satisfaction to your life. You know you aren't going to get paid for your service but yet you walk away from whatever you were doing and feel great about what you did. It can be hard to explain but it does make you happy. I see it all the time when our ambassadors work on the day of caring or the blood drive. I talk with these student's afterwards and they always comment on how hard the work was but that it felt really good helping others out.

Well recently I have discovered a hidden group of students who have figured this out at a really young age. I am talking about our health career students who are out working as STNA's (State Tested Nursing Assistants). Over the past couple of years I have been able to talk to many of these students who work in various nursing homes and elderly care centers in our area. I have been able to ask them about the type of work they do (which isn't totally pleasant work) and if they enjoy their jobs. I am always amazed that so many of them really enjoy this work simply because they get to help elderly people who are very sick or very old and dying. They said it makes them feel good helping the older people who can't help themselves. They take a certain pride when the patients ask for them by name or if they miss a day of work, the patients ask where they are. Many of these students went into our Health Careers field for various reasons. They thought it would be steady work for the rest of their lives, good money or their mother or father are in the health career field. What I find interesting is that each one ended up finding fulfillment in the job because they found joy in helping others and wanted to stay in the health field. This says a lot about my earlier statements. Maybe it is better to give than to receive and when we do this, we do find satisfaction and fulfillment.

A few times in my counseling career, I have met with a health career student who needed help getting through some grief they were experiencing because they lost a patient the night before. I can't tell you how much it moves me to see the love that these students have for their patients. It's as if they lost their own grandpa or grandma. They talk about how hard it is knowing they are gone and how sad it will be walking by their rooms. They tell me how they held the patients hand just the night before while the patient was falling asleep. They wrestle with their feelings and their reactions. Some get told not to get involved with their patients because they will get hurt, but I tell them to continue loving everyone of them right up to the end. These students may be the only person who shows love and concern to the patient. Many of them are without family and are in the nursing home all alone. It is these "heroes among us" who bring a warm feeling and peace to these patients as they take their last breath.

I have developed a deeper appreciation for our health career students and also for the fabulous lab instructors we have here at Vantage and have had in the past. I think of Shirley Jarvis who was the most soft spoken and kind person, the epitome of a Florence Nightingale. I also think of Reesa Rohrs who was strict with the students but loved them and cared for them like no other. I often told the students that I am glad she is so strict with them because when I am in the hospital and they walk in, I will know they were trained by the best. Currently we have two outstanding teachers who continue the excellence of our previous instructors, Leigh Carey and Wendy Baumle. I can't thank them enough for all the work they put into molding and shaping these heroes among us. Thanks!

10 More Fridays

Someone told me the other day that there are only ten more Friday's until Christmas. Can you believe it, only ten more Friday's. Wow. That got me thinking, "how are we going to get so much done in so little time?". Well I guess we go through this every year so we will manage, but I thought I would list all the upcoming things so you can prepare.

1) October 18 - 24: Teen Read Week. Media center will be having a book swap this week, a raffle based on pages read and a logo contest.

2) October 20: Home school group pictures and picture re-takes

3) October 23: Last day of the first nine weeks

4) October 26 - 30: OGT week. Remember, if you have all OGT's passed, then you are on a two hour delay the entire week.

5) November 2-6: Ambassadors selling flags on stage during lunch

6) November 4,5,6: I will be attending the All Ohio Counselors Conference in Columbus

7) November 9 - 13: 8th grade tour week

8) November 23: Haiti Carnival & Parent Teacher Conferences on the 23rd and 24th.

9) November 25 -30: Thanksgiving break

WOW! That is only up until Thanksgiving break. December always has the toys for tots drive, Christmas lab parties and many other activities. So hold your breath, get your Christmas shopping done and enjoy the ride.

Gone But Not Forgotten

I'm sure when you read the title of this blog today you were thinking of how many times you have heard that saying, "Gone But Not Forgotten", especially when talking about someone who has passed away. This time however I am referring to the students who have attended Vantage over the years but are now moved out of the area or are busy living their new life. See the other day Mrs. Hatcher and I were talking about several students that have graduated from here and how they used to make us laugh or they were just pleasant to be around. This was a long list of some great students and it seemed that the list was getting longer the more we talked. There were some great memories and a lot of laughs. This is when I thought to myself that it is sad that we don't get to see them very much anymore, or in some cases, not at all.

I instantly thought of a quote from one of my favorite movies, the Shawshank Redemption. Red was thinking out loud to himself and thinking about his good friend Andy Dufresne who had just escaped from prison. Red no longer had Andy with him and they had spent twenty some years together. Red said: "Sometimes it makes me sad, though... Andy being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up DOES rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend."

Well I certainly don't think Vantage is drab and empty that those students are gone, no it's just the opposite to me. See I believe in the old story that our life is like a bank. When we meet good people who are trustworthy, kind, compassionate and funny, it is like them depositing "money" in our bank. We have that money to spend by being trustworthy, kind, compassionate and funny to others. When we meet negative people who bring us down, they remove this "money" from our bank and we no longer have it available to us. So I feel these past students have deposited a lot of money in my bank and I continue to use it on all the future students. They have left a mark on me and it has made me a better person.

Like ole Red said, I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are too bright. I think that's what happens here at Vantage. We train these students to go out and be successful and be well rounded adults. We help them find jobs that match their skills or we prepare them for college. It is only when they leave that they can finally spread their wings on their own. We then stand proudly knowing that they can soar to unbelievable heights. I am thankful for these past students that we remember fondly and so many current ones who are making deposits... I guess I just miss my friends.

Problem Collection Day

Next Wednesday at Vantage we will have a big dumpster in the commons where we can dump all our problems. Everyone will be invited down to the commons during their advantage period time and allowed to throw their problems in the dumpster. HOWEVER, once the dumpster is filled, you will then have to go back to the dumpster and randomly choose one other persons problem and make it your own. Now think about what I just said... That doesn't sound very appealing does it? Okay, Okay, this is not really happening but it is food for thought.

See, so many times in our life we wish that all our problems would just go away. We wish we didn't have to battle through them. They seem to break us and take us to our limit. But if you really think about it, so many things that we have gone through in life have made us the person we are today. They make us a better person than who we were. When we face our problems and struggle through them, they make us a stronger person.

This concept that I came up with for this blog started at lunch yesterday when Mr. Darrell Miller and I were complaining about some of our physical ailments and things that are hurting. We discussed the problems we have to deal with in our own health and how they affect us. We then started looking around the lunch room and realized that many of these students deal with a lot tougher stuff then we ever have to. It made me realize that maybe we are not so bad off and it made me wonder, "would we want to trade our problems with others". I came to the conclusion that I think many of you may come to, and that answer is no. First of all, let me be clear. I realize someone with a life threatening illness would switch in a heartbeat with anyone else, I understand that and I am not down playing that issue. But what I am trying to say is, we all have problems and issues that we have to deal with on a daily basis. That's the funny thing about life, it is never easy. However, what is easy, is to think that you are the only one hurting or the only one that has to deal with problems on a daily basis. That simply is not true. I can almost say with certainty, that everyone has some worry or concern on their mind everyday. If we keep that in mind and think about that when we are hurting, maybe we won't feel so alone or be afraid to talk with someone about the problem. You may be surprised when you open up to a friend or to a classmate and realize that they have had to deal with a similar situation and now are ready to help you through that same problem. Maybe because of the things you have gone through in life, you may be able to help someone who is facing that same type of problem.

So no, we are not having a dumpster in our commons area for you to dump your problems off. That might be nice but it isn't reality. What is reality is that you will have problems in life, but you are not alone. Second, these problems will make you stronger and a better person. Third, you don't have to handle them on your own. You have friends and classmates to talk with, open up to family members, and of course you are always welcome to come talk with me. Remember, problems ignored grow. Solutions ignored disappear.

One Is Too Many

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. There is a group that has a lot of great information on this topic, and it is called the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). There is a lot of great information on their website. I would hope you take the time to visit and if possible, become a member. The reason that there is an awareness month is because domestic violence can be stopped if we all speak out and work together. Domestic violence thrives when we stay silent.

Throughout the month of October, NNEDV has offered all kinds of ways to get involved. Just some of the ways listed on their website are: Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest and read along as they share #31 in 31, which means, each day of the month they will share a different survivors story. Some are uplifting, some are heartbreaking; all are true. - Wear purple, the color of domestic violence - Change your social media profile and cover photos. The main thing, is don't be silent.

You may be wondering why I am talking about domestic violence in a school culture. Well the truth is: DATING VIOLENCE IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. According to the NNEDV website, most people have their first relationship while in high school or college. It's new, exciting, thrilling and sometimes sexual. Unfortunately, this can also be some of the most dangerous times in a woman's life. Women ages 16 - 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence. In fact, nearly 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year and more than half of the women who are raped are under the age of 18. Dating violence is the use of power and control over one individual by someone who is supposed to care about him or her. Dating violence is not only just physical, but can also be emotional and psychological abuse and include behaviors such as stalking, isolation of friends and family and being possessive.  Since this is often their first love or serious relationship, many young people may not know the red flags or identify problematic behaviors.

It is time to end the silence on dating violence. Please speak up if you see one of your friends in a violent relationship. Please come see me if you are in that type of relationship, or if you aren't sure but have concerns. There is help and I want to help you. You do not need to take this abuse. Help a friend before it is to late and remember once is too many times.

National Technical Honor Society

On Tuesday evening, Vantage Career Center will be holding our annual National Technical Honor Society banquet and induction ceremony. The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is a way to honor student achievement and leadership in career and technical education, promote educational excellence, award scholarships and enhance career opportunities for the NTHS membership. 

To become an NTHS member, a student must first be carrying a 3.5 GPA or above, have 95% attendance for their Junior and Senior years, no discipline problems in both years and have passed all of their Ohio Graduation Tests. If the student meets the above mentioned criteria, then they must write an essay stating why they feel they belong in the NTHS, have four teacher recommendations and complete their application. Once all this is turned in, a committee of teachers and staff meet to discuss each candidate and determine which students best represent the NTHS.

As a member of the National Technical Honor Society, each member has met the seven character attributes, and at the induction ceremony, vow to continue these attributes. They are: Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsiblity, Leadership, Citizenship and Scholarship.

I am so proud of these students because they have made so many great choices in their lives. They not only have been successful here at Vantage and their home school, but I know they will be successful in their future college or work careers. If you happen to see these students in the hallway or in your classes, please congratulate them on a great high school career and a great honor in being selected for the National Technical Honor Society. This is a very small percentage of our student body (roughly 5%), but they truly are the best of the best.

CONGRATULATIONS:

Brenna Baker - Wayne Trace

Elizabeth Burgei - Ottoville

Zachary Chamberlin - Kalida

Haley Dicke - Parkway

Tabbetha Dixon - Continental

Alexis Doster - Continental

Elijah Freund - Ft. Jennings

Landon Goins - Crestview

Levi Hiltner - Continental

Angelea Kimmel - Kalida

Allie Mihm - Van Wert

Justin Moenter - Delphos St. Johns

Kalyn Pierstorff - Parkway

Kenneth Pinks-Liebert - Parkway

Keli Ralston - Lincolnview

Bianka Robach - Continental

Makayla Ryan - Van Wert

Meghan Sherman - Crestview

Marcy Shoppell - Lincolnview

Jacob Sukup - Antwerp

Darian Tijerina - Continental

Nicholas Warnimont - Paulding

Cullen Wenzlick - Paulding

Drayson Wenzlick - Paulding

What's up with...

I don't know if anyone else has noticed the new icons that are popping up in Google Chrome when you log on, but recently they have suddenly appeared. If you look on the top right of the screen, you will notice three new icons. Now some of you may be very familiar with them but I am sure some of you have no idea what they are for. With that in mind, and because I wasn't sure what they were for, I have a quick and brief overview to help you use these handy features.

MOVENOTE: This is a feature that allows you to make and send video presentations to anyone you want. Simply click on the icon and begin making a video presentation. You can use a current presentation you have in Google drive or you can create a brand new one. It is all very simple to use and to learn. I found a great video on it that is about seven minutes in length that can be found at this URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsKiISv1nR4. You can also use this in GMAIL. It is a great way for students to turn in homework assignments, etc... Get some great ideas on how to use MOVENOTE at www.movenote.com.



SHARE TO CLASSROOM: This is one I am sure I don't need to discuss in great detail. I know our teachers are using classroom all the time. This just allows the student or teacher to simply click the icon and whatever they are working on will be shared with the classroom or individual students.





CLEARLY: Clearly is put out by Evernote and is definitely my favorite. This app allows you to read any article distraction free and then print it. This makes blog posts, webpages and articles clean and easy to read. You can also save them to Evernote and read them anywhere. So many times I need to print off articles or college websites for our students and this allows me to print them with no advertising and no distractions, just plain print. Give it a try. I know you will love this one and it is so easy to use.


Well I hope this information is useful for you. Thanks to all who came to the College night last night. What a great turnout! Have a great weekend, the weather is going to be beautiful.

College Night

We have a pretty exciting night coming up this Wednesday evening in our commons area here at Vantage. I hope by now you have heard the messages, received the tweets and saw the announcements on Facebook regarding our college night. I want to mention it in my blog because I feel it is such a great benefit for both our juniors and seniors. So what is college night all about? Let me give you some frequently asked questions that have been asked of me:

1) What is college night all about? College night is a chance for the students to meet with several different college representatives all in one place. The student does not have to miss any school and also saves gas money because you don't have to drive to all those different colleges to speak with a representative.

2) How many different colleges will be here? We will have over 40 representatives from various colleges and universities.

3) Will the Military be here? Yes. There will be at least two military branches represented.

4) Can my parents/guardians come? Yes, they are more than welcome and in fact I highly recommend that if they are available, that they come with you.

5) Is this just for Vantage students? No. This is held in our Van Wert district so students from Van Wert, Crestview, Lincolnview and Vantage will all be here that night.

6) What should I expect? When you walk into our commons that night, it will look quite different. Tables are set up all along the walls and in the middle of the commons. We will also have several rows of round tables and tables on the stage. It is quite crowded.  The colleges will have their school name/logo banner draped over the table and the reps will be standing around the table. You will also see your home school counselor here that night.

7) How do I talk with the college rep? As you walk around the college fair, you will see all the different schools. If you see a school that you have an interest in or would like to know more about, then just walk up to the table and begin speaking with the representative. Once in awhile there may be a small line. You can wait your turn or walk around and check back when you see the rep is not busy.

8) Do the representatives bug you or are they pushy? No, not at all. All of the representatives have done a lot of these college nights and are very polite and nice. If you want to just grab a brochure and move on, that is no problem. They may say "good evening" or ask how you are doing, but it is very easy to smile, respond and move on.

9) What happens after the college night? What should I do? Well some of the colleges may ask you to fill out a card if you show some interest. That is so they can get hold of you later on. If you fill out any cards, then you can expect a call from them. However, I suggest that you talk to as many representatives as you can, grab as much information as you can and then go home and look through everything. When you see a college that has what you are interested in and it looks like a place that you would like to attend, then get hold of them and set up a college visit. Remember, you have two college visits every year that are not counted against your attendance. (Don't forget to pick up the form from the front office if you are going on a visit).

Well I hope to see a lot of you here on Wednesday evening, 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm. It's a great night to visit 40 + colleges and only have to drive as far as Vantage. Set a reminder on your phone!

Keeping Yourself Balanced

I know most of you had no idea that this week has been "Balance Awareness Week". Well to be honest, I didn't know either. However, when you read the counseling magazines and websites that I follow because of my job, you find out all kinds of oddities. Balance Awareness Week is to help all of us remember to keep our lives in balance. To be able to handle stress better and to find peace in our busy lives. I would have to say that not only are the adults feeling a lot of stress in their lives lately but I feel that our students have become more and more anxious and stressed the last couple of years. I am finding out by talking with our students that many of them are going to work right after school and working until 10:00 at night. They need the jobs for their cars, insurance, phones, help with paying bills around the house, etc. When we try to pack all of this in and don't bother taking care of ourselves, we create an enormous amount of stress in our life. I thought this might be a good time to provide some stress reduction methods that I think are very useful and easy to do. I do not want you to think this is a substitute for seeking help or talking with me or another adult if the stress and anxiety is severe. I believe these methods, along with counseling, can both act together to reduce the stress and anxiety in your life.

When feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take some time to practice these:

1) Breathing exercises: Simply breathing in for 4 seconds, holding it for 7 seconds and then slowly letting the air out for 10 seconds (Repeat 4 times) can be an immediate relief when you feel anxiety coming on or if you feel you are getting frustrated with something. Easy to practice and takes no time.

2) Exercise: I know a lot of people hate to hear the word exercise but exercise can be as simple as taking a walk. Getting up and moving around. Once you develop an exercise routine, it can act in preventing a lot of stress and  anxiety in your life.

3) Visualization: Lets's put it this way. Have you seen "Happy Gilmore"? Remember he was told to go to his happy place when he got upset. That's what visualization is. Find a place that totally relaxes you and in your mind, go there until you are calm. Mine is on a warm beautiful beach with the waves splashing on the shore. Try it. This one is fun.

4) Listen to Music: I think a lot of you have figured this one out. If this helps you then go for it. Music can take you to another place and calm a lot of anxiety. Now I know if I listened to the music the students listen to, I don't think I would be in my "happy place". I think I would be reaching for a tylenol. However, you get the idea.

5) Try some of the following apps. I received these apps while at a conference and I think they are excellent. I have recommended them to several of my students and have had positive feedback. I believe they are all free and should be on both android and iphone stores. They are:

              SAMApp - Use SAM to observe how anxiety affects you over time and learn to identify situations where you want to reduce anxiety over time. With this app, you can practice self-help options for managing anxiety.

               VIRTUAL HOPE BOX - This is a fun and cool app. You can play Sodoku, Word searches, Mahjong solitare and a photo puzzle that you create using a photo right from your phone gallery.

               MINDSHIFT - This app has something called "Chill-out tools". Under chill-out tools, you will find relaxation exercises, visualizations and mindfullness strategies. This app explains anxiety, has an area called "thinking right" which is a great tool for improving your self-talk. In other words, reversing the negative thoughts you have and replacing them with positive thoughts. It even talks about coping with test anxiety.

I hope today's blog will help all of us put our life in balance just a little bit more. Remember that life is short, it really is. Take time to smell the roses, enjoy a rainbow, laugh with your friends. It's important if you want to get the most out of each day. Thanks again for reading and have a great weekend.

Appreciation & Sharing

Last Friday we had to move our Student Appreciation Day indoors because of the rainy weather we experienced. I believe that was the only time we have had to do that. However, Mrs. Wilhelm and her entire crew managed to pull off a great day for all the students. There were plenty of corn hole games going on in the hallway, dancing in the cup and saucer and the National Guard set up the obstacle course in the commons. We had movies going on in the community room and plenty of popcorn and pop in the commons. The car show obviously couldn't be moved in the building (although I did have someone ask me if they could pull their race car into the commons - and he was serious) but overall it was a great day for everyone. Once again, thanks to Mrs. Wilhelm, Mrs. Keith, Mr. Unverferth, Mrs. Klinger and all the student ambassadors for doing a terrific job under those conditions.

Combined with our student appreciation day was also the start of our food drive for the United Way in Van Wert county. The Lee Kinstle car dealership was kind enough to lend us a couple trucks that we could use to load up all the canned goods that were collected from our staff and students. We always have a little friendly competition between the various labs to see who can collect the most cans of food. Each staff member is also assigned to a particular lab. This years lab winner was the Industrial Mechanics group. They collected the most cans of food overall. The lab with the most cans collected based on an average number of cans per student, was the building and grounds program. Both labs will receive a pizza party for their efforts. The overall winner was really the families in our community who will benefit from this outreach. Vantage collected over 3,020 cans of food!!!

The food drive will continue this week but the focus will be on collecting cash so that the Medical Office group can go shopping for all the other needed items. We will have cans set up on the stage during lunch time with each can representing a lab. Students and staff can throw their loose change in the cans and the lab with the most money will receive doughnuts for their class. We will also have a $1 jeans day and $1 t-shirt day on Wednesday. If you wish to wear jeans and a t-shirt, the medical office group will be by in the morning to collect the $2. This is such a great way to help out the United Way of Van Wert and all their causes. You never know, you may be helping out a classmate that you have no idea needs help, or you may need the United Ways help someday too. Thanks for all you do here at Vantage and let us keep up the good work this week. A special thank you to Mrs. VanTilburg and the Medical Office lab for all the hard work they put into this project to make this drive so successful.

The Fabric of our School

Sometimes it can be difficult coming up with an idea for this blog and sometimes the ideas come to me at the strangest times. I have gotten ideas while driving, golfing, vacationing and even sleeping. Now this one came to me in a strange way. For many of you, you have no idea that my wife loves to quilt, and in my opinion is very very good at what she does. I think her quilts are absolutely beautiful and an expression of her and her talent. Well that is where the idea for this blog came to me. While I was looking at one of her quilts, I couldn't help but think of how all those fabrics came together to produce something so wonderful. It's interesting because some of the pieces by themselves are rather simple and very ordinary. Now other pieces by themselves can be loud, bright and very busy. However, when they are put together, they make a masterpiece.

This is where the idea for this blog came to me. I thought of all the students that we have here at Vantage and the ones that come to us every year. We have such a diverse population of students here at Vantage and the mixture always makes it so interesting. We have the quiet students who barely say anything unless spoken to. We also have the outgoing students who love to get involved in everything and allow their opinions to be heard. I love the idea that we have so many non-traditional students here at Vantage. We have had the males in cosmetology, early childhood and the health tech programs and we also have had the females in welding, precision machining, electricity, auto body and carpentry. Our students come from different social and economic backgrounds. We have students who are interested in racing cars, hunting, sports, play acting, singing, musicals and the list goes on and on. I hope you can see what I am getting at. We are very lucky here at Vantage because we get such a different group of students but when you put them all together, we end up with a beautiful masterpiece, our great school.

Friday we will get to celebrate our appreciation for this great group of students. I hope all of you will have a great time and enjoy the activities, rain or shine. Thanks again for coming to Vantage and making our school a beautiful quilt of different students. As always, stop in and see me anytime you want.

Raised in a Barn

Well as we wind down the Van Wert County fair and having just completed the Allen County fair last week, I couldn't help but feel really proud of all our students who have been involved at both fairs. I had a chance to see some beautiful work the students completed and also saw some of them compete in various competitions. I hope all of you had a chance to stop by either fair and talk with them and see the hard work they have put in all summer. If you missed the opportunity, then please mark it on your calendar for next year. You won't regret it.

Visiting the fairs has also given me a chance to think back on how important the Ag instructors are to our students. I thought back to when my two boys were at Delphos Jefferson and were President of their FFA chapter. I thought of all the hard work they did but also the great instructors they had leading them. There was Mr. Mike Miller (not Vantages Mr. Miller), Mr. Scott Elwer & Mrs Lucy Bambauer. I thought of our own Mr. Mike Miller and what an awesome job he does for our students and how he has brought new life into our FFA. I remembered Mr. Vern Fischer who was here before Mr. Miller and also thought of Mrs. Susan Farr who has been involved in teaching AG for many years. Now talk about timing. While I was thinking about them, I came across a great article from a website raisedinabarn.org that was titled "Why Agriculture Education Instructors Are Important" and I would like to share that with you now:

For many that enroll into FFA in high school, they can’t imagine the impact one class will have on their life. An Agriculture Educator is key to success in the agriculture industry. These professors and teachers get their students involved in something that can eventually lead to a career or a better understanding of how things work. Agriculture instructors are the agriculture students driving force at school, and they take care of their students just like they are their own children.

I’ve had strong influential agriculture leaders my whole life. These people have taught me so much more from knowledge first hand, than they could from some book. In high school I had a great FFA Advisor. Later on in college I had a handful of more great agriculture instructors. They do so much for their students and deserve a thank you. So here is a list on why you should thank you agriculture teacher.

• They get you involved even if you don’t want to be. “You might not want to learn this now, but later on down the road it will benefit you.”
• They are your parents away from home. “Remember that our school is on the back of your FFA jacket. Don’t embarrass me or your school.”
• They are on speed dial on your phone. “Don’t be afraid to ask me questions if you aren’t sure.”
• They don’t like excuses. “Life doesn’t care about your excuses.”
• They know everyone. If you are in the middle of nowhere, they will find someone they know.
• They want you to know how important agriculture is. “If you know how to raise your own food, you’ll never go hungry.”
• They are hard on you because they know your potential. “I’m not sure why you made a C on this, you can do way better.”
• They can get anywhere without a GPS. “I’ve been there a million times, I should know it.”
• They are at every show, rodeo, and contest. They are your coach, and biggest fan all at the same time.
• They want you to reach your full potential. “Run for State FFA President. Even if you lose you can say you gave it all you got.”
• They know everything about agriculture. “The more you know, the better off you’ll be.”
• If you lose a show, rodeo, or speech contest they are the first person to comfort you and critic you at the same time.
• They understand because they have been there. “College is hard, but the harder you work, the easier it will be.”
• They remind you over and over again that the stuff outside on the ground is soil, not dirt. Dirt is misplaced soil.
• They help you meet people who will help you get where you need to be. “If you want to livestock judge, let’s go talk to some colleges.”
• They will remind you about how expensive college is every day, and help you fill out scholarships to pay for the college of your dreams. “College isn’t cheap, and scholarships are free to fill out.”
• They don’t care about your drama. When you are in their classroom you are there to learn. “Leave that drama at the door before you come in.”
• The most important reason to thank an agriculture instructor is because, they care. At the end of the day they want to see you doing what you dream about. They help you set goals and get you on the right path to reach that goal. “Go big or go home.”

Thanks teachers for guiding us, inspiring us, and making us what we are today.You are the inspiration for so many of us to pursue an agriculture career.

I would just like to say my personal thank you to Mr. Miller and the great job he does with our students here at Vantage. Also, remember: An industry that feeds us, is an industry worth caring about.