Merry Christmas

 Only three more days until Christmas and we are also on the last day of our semester today. We made it!!! One semester of face to face learning is in the books. I want to thank all of you for doing everything you could to make it possible that we could stay in school and stay healthy. I am looking forward to 2021 and hoping that we have turned the corner on the Covid virus. I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas and take time to relax and enjoy time with friends and family. This is such a special time of year and such a wonderful time to spend with family. I hope you can find time to sit by a fire, curl up with a good book or just take time to think about all the blessings in your life.

The other day I read something that I wanted to share with my readers. You may have seen this before but I thought it was a good reminder and something for us to think about over the holidays. 

Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip, had a philosophy about life that I believe is a good reminder to all of us. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name five people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.  (Can you name 3? 1?)

5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for best actor and actress...

How did you do?

The point is that none of us remember all the headliners of yesterday. These are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most! Merry Christmas to all of you. 

Winter Sport Athletes

 Well it is December 11th and we are still in school doing face to face learning. I am so proud of all our staff and students who are doing everything to stay safe and stay in school. Only seven more days and we will finish out the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. I truly want to thank each and everyone of you for working through these hard times.

Speaking of working hard. Today we celebrate our winter sport athletes. These students are working so hard to stay healthy, stay in shape, keep their grades up and have a successful season in whatever sport or event they are involved in. I am always amazed when I speak with any of these students. They get here on time every day, they leave at the end of school and head right to practice, they grab a bite to eat after practice and then work on their homework. Incredible and impressive. I want to thank each one of these students that you see in the picture for choosing Vantage as their school of choice. They realized that they can start a future career in their field of study here at Vantage and also be involved in the sport that they so love back at their home school. You may recall seeing some of these very same students in our fall sports picture. Several of these students play two or even three sports during the school year and still keep up their grades. I am very proud of all of you and I hope you continue your hard work and dedication throughout your lifetime. 

Good luck to all of you this year. To the seniors, I am sure you wish the stands could be filled with cheering spectators and all of your classmates. I myself miss going to the games and cheering you on. However, I believe we can learn something from every situation, whether good or bad. I hope you realize how strong you are and how resilient you have been the last year and a half. You have been able to adapt to many changing situations and still stand strong. I hope my readers will look at this picture closely and see these students behind the mask. If you look into the eyes of the students as I do, you will see strength, compassion and determination. There is so much hope and faith behind every mask. These are the eyes that say "I will make it, I will not be defeated and I will survive". These students will always hold a special place in my heart. They have taught me more than I could have imagined. When 2020 starts getting you down, look into the eyes and hearts of these students and smile. They are our future and they are the bright light that is just around the corner.

Hard Work - Great Reward

 I want to start off by congratulating the 2020 Division IV Football State Champions - THE VANWERT COUGARS. What an awesome season and what a great tournament run. The way they came back in that final game and then to have a sophomore kick his first field goal for the championship, you can't write a better script. Once again, Congratulations to Kaiden Bates, Xavier Okuly, Andrew Gallagher, Turner Witten, Ries Wise, Killian Sudduth, Kody Kline and Cullen Dunn

I wrote this blog to give special recognition to the players that attend Vantage Career Center. I have had the pleasure of talking with these guys every day during the season and the tourney run. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to attend any games because of Covid-19 but I can tell you that everyone of these guys is a top notch person and student. Their parents/guardians should be so proud of each one of these students. They are polite, very mature and intelligent. It is no wonder that the football team won the championship. There isn't one of theses students that will take credit by themselves. It is always about the team and working together to achieve a goal. I speak with Turner quite a bit and he will be the first to point out that it is the coaches preparation and playing together that gets us the wins. I attribute this to a great coaching staff and coach Recker. 

Recently there was a great article about Cullen Dunn and Turner Witten in the Lima News. These guys along with Kody Kline do a tremendous job of blocking up front and allowing the running back and quarterback to do so well. However, if you read the article there are no "big heads" among them. They are humble and sometimes funny as to what they say. One quote by Turner said that "With me and Cullen Dunn being the most experienced we kind of had to do our part and help out the others which we all know what we are doing so it is just helping each other out to be the best that we all can be". What a great quote. That really says it all. We are just helping out the others just to be the best we can be. Well your "best" just won you a state championship.

I want to close in saying that we can all attest to their brilliant play on the field, but I think you should know that they are all great students in and out of the classroom. Almost all of them are A or B students and show up to school everyday. Their work ethic carries over from the football field and into the classroom. I believe sports can teach you so much about life and how to handle yourself, in good times and in bad. Well this is certainly a great time and I want to thank not only the Vantage football players but all the Van Wert Cougars for bringing something to 2020 that we can all smile about and be proud of.  

Time Machine

 Good morning, good afternoon and good day. I guess it depends on the time of day you are reading this blog. Whatever time of day it is, thank you for reading. I usually don't put one blog out right after another, but I wanted to stick with the "Coronavirus burnout" theme and try to give all of us a different perspective and help us deal with it. On my way in this morning, I heard on the radio, a gentleman speaking about his 8 year old daughter and her swim lessons. She had just finished a pretty tough lesson on underwater swimming and was pretty frightened during the lesson. On their way home, she was sitting in the backseat and said to her dad, "I wish there was a time machine". Dad found that interesting and asked her, "really, what year would you want to go to?". The daughter said, "not that kind of time machine, but one that would let me skip all the scary parts of life". Isn't that such a neat statement from an innocent child. It got me thinking though and it also reminded me of an old Garth Brooks song, "The Dance".

In the song, "The Dance", it says; "Our lives are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain but I'd have to miss the dance". I started to think how this pandemic is affecting all of us and could this just be a part of our life that later on we will realize how much we learned from it and how much we have grown from it. I'm not saying that I am glad we have the virus, but maybe we can look at how blessed we are with other things in our life, both before the virus and after it is gone. I know many of you have heard a little bit about my life and the family losses I have been through. Both my parents have passed on and I have lost five brothers and a sister. The individual pain of each one of them passing is tough to deal with, especially when they first die. However, if I was promised that I could skip the pain of my siblings deaths and funerals, but the stipulation is that they were never born...I would never ever accept that offer. I feel that way when I listen to "The Dance". I look back on the memories of my siblings and I can laugh and smile at some of the crazy times we had. I wouldn't trade them for anything. 

So, if we did have the time machine, I think we would all just skip over 2020. But was there a "dance" somewhere in there. For myself, I think of all the awesome things our administration has done to get us to this point and still be in school. I think of the closeness that I have gotten with some of my friends and colleagues. I see a group of teachers constantly reaching out to help others during these tough times. I am witnessing a parent/teacher conference like I could have never imagined. We are all doing these conferences remotely and it is going together absolutely incredible. I am sitting at my monitor with a headset on and watching four different conferences and seeing the passion our teachers have for these students. I could go on and on as I know you could too. Take time to think about some of the positives that you are noticing , and that maybe would never have happened if it wasn't for the virus, and write those down. I wouldn't mind hearing about some of those positives. I really do believe that our lives are better left to chance.  

Don't Let Anxiety Win

 I decided to write this particular blog tonight just because I am starting to see more and more stress around the school and thought maybe there is something I could say that might help us all out. You would think that with our first quarter behind us and already into the second week of the second quarter, and all face to face learning, that we would be excited and relieved. Well I think all of us are pleased that we are able to keep meeting everyday at the school and not have to do online schooling, except for the few that are quarantined. But the fact remains that we have had a few positive cases and several students that had to quarantine. It seems like all of us are in fear that positive cases may increase and we will have to shutdown. I know that lingers over a lot of us. I know that the entire Covid crisis is creating stress on all of us. We are not living life the way we are used to. We don't go out to restaurants and sit down to eat. We are not going to sporting events and watching the students play soccer, football or other sports. Many of us are concerned about our elderly parents and loved ones. The dark mornings and colder weather don't help the situation either. 

Now with all that being said, I do have some things for you to think about as we struggle with these situations and thoughts. First of all, I can't promise that we will not shutdown in some way in the future. We are all doing a great job wearing the mask and social distancing at lunch, but we are not immune. Let all of us continue doing our absolute best as we attend each day, wearing mask properly, washing hands and social distancing. The fact is, we can only control certain things and I believe that is where a lot of the fear and worrying comes from. When we try to control things that are out of our control, that produces anxiety and worry. I have heard so many students say "what if this happens" or "what if that happens". I just want all of you to know that our administration is doing everything in their power to keep all of us safe and keep us attending regularly. 

One of the big things to controlling our anxiety is by not allowing our thoughts to scare us or take over our lives. There is a game that anxiety plays and there are four rules to the game. These four rules will ensure that anxiety wins. If you believe these four rules, anxiety wins.

1. If any fearful thought pops up, take it seriously.

2. Once you are scared or worried, try to get rid of these feelings

3. Assume you don’t have what it takes to solve this problem, so back away.

4. Anytime you feel anxiety, assume that there is danger.

The way to defeat each of these statements is by using the following remedies:

1. If any fearful thought pops up, take it seriously.

1. A thought is a thought

2. Once you are scared or worried, try to get rid of these feelings.

1. Observe anxiety

3. Assume you don’t have what it takes to solve this problem, so back away.

1. Combat avoidance - it maintains the fear structure

4. Anytime you feel anxiety, assume that there is danger

1. Push through anxiety - don’t trust it.

Say to yourself, "okay I'm anxious, no big deal - I will survive it. I really hope all of you will look at all the wonderful things that you do have in your life. Realize that you were able to wake up today and have breakfast, ride to school, be with friends. Think about your loved ones that you can still have conversations with, spend time with. For the staff, think about the blessings in your life and maybe write those down. You will be surprised how long the list is. How many can hug their grandchildren and feel that intense love. For the students; why don't you make a list of all the good things going on in your life right now. Again, you will be amazed at the length of the list. I just want to tell you, we will be back to normal. We will enjoy gatherings with friends and family. We will once again have big weddings and parties. I don't have an answer to when this will be, but we are closer than when we first began this crisis. In the mean time, count your blessings and laugh with others, stay off the news and don't play the Anxiety game. If you need to talk, you know I will always be there for you. Peace!

 

National Technical Honor Society 2020

 On Tuesday evening, October 6th, Vantage Career Center held our annual National Technical Honor Society 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. Obviously this year we could not celebrate like we usually do with a complete banquet, but none the less, we still honored these outstanding students. 

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 End of Course Exams. If the student meets the above mentioned criteria, then they must write an essay stating why they feel they belong in the NTHS, have three teacher recommendations, submit a resume and complete their application. Once all of this is turned in, a committee of teachers and staff meet to discuss each candidate and determine which students best represent the National Technical Honor Society.

As a member of the National Technical Honor Society, each member has met the seven character attributes, and at the induction ceremony, vowed to continue these attributes. They are: Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, 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. To think about what all these students have gone through this last year, with the shutdown, mask wearing, social distancing, etc., they still have managed to achieve the highest honor we can bestow upon our students. This class will always be special in my eyes. If you happen to see these students in the hallway, in your classes, or in the community, 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, but they truly are the best of the best.

These are the NTHS members for 2020-2021:

Macein Bigham (Van Wert), Brok Bill (Lincolnview), Riley Boroff (Lincolnview), Johnathon Buehrer (Antwerp), Jordan Buerkle (Antwerp), Kaylee Buzard (Jefferson), Cameron Cox (Wayne Trace), Halie Davis (Antwerp), Kamree Dockery (Continental), Jayde Ducheney (Lincolnview), Courtney Ebbeskotte (St. John), Catelyn Etter (Continental), Faith Gamble (Ottoville), Georgia Gangwer (Parkway), Jason Geyer (Antwerp), Hunter Grant (Antwerp), Connor Haselman (Ottawa Glandorf), Makenna Jones (Antwerp), Laura Kimmet (Ottoville), Kylee Klenz (Ottoville), Greg Lammers (Wayne Trace), Rylyn Lengacher (Antwerp), Chase Martin (St. John), Kara McDonald (Wayne Trace), Bryce Mihm (Parkway), Carson Miller (Ottoville), Eli Molitor (Antwerp), Adriana Myers (Van Wert), Christopher Piske (Lincolnview), Bryce Recker (Continental), Kaitlin Reed (Antwerp), Dylan Schimmoller (Lincolnview), Michaela Shawhan (St. John), Kay'l Sibold (Parkway), Xander Stemen (Lincolnview), Killian Sudduth (Van Wert), Hunter Tegenkamp (Continental), Kaiden Trentman (Ottoville), Tygre Troyer (Continental), Bailee Wallace (Van Wert), Hayden Ward (Continental), Reed Warnement (Continental), Derek Weyrauch (Ft. Jennings), Lydia Will (Ft. Jennings), Hannah Zickefoose (Lincolnview).

Letting Them Play

 As I began to write this post, I just heard word that the Big Ten will now be playing football this fall. I believe the season will start on October 24th. I'm not sure how the season will look yet or how many teams will be involved, but they will be playing football. That brings me back to the title of this post, "Letting Them Play". If you saw my post last week, I showed a picture of our fall sport athletes. It was great to see so many of our students being involved in sports back at their home school. That is why I want to thank the high schools around this area and all their athletic directors, administrators and others that were involved in the decision to let them play and to also make it safe for them to participate.

High school sports is really an important part of a students overall health and wellness. An article I recently read stated that high school sports promotes physical health during arguably the most important time of a young person's life. Multiple studies have been conducted on the physical benefits of high school sports, and the results are largely positive. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that students who participate in high school sports are less likely to engage in activities that could have a negative impact on their health, such as smoking and drinking. It also reduces the chance of obesity or type 2 diabetes. Sports participation also promotes mental wellness. The stress of performing well both academically and socially can be a heavy burden for students. However, by participating in sports, students not only gain an outlet to relieve that stress, but also to improve their mental health.

High school sports also teaches leadership and teamwork skills. I have witnessed this around our school so often throughout the years. The students who are involved in sports most often are great at working with others in groups, teams, etc. I know I am speaking of sports in this blog, but I have seen the same thing in our Eagle scouts, farmers and all students who have learned these skills. There are so many other skills that high school sports teachers our students, such as mentorship, time management, accountability and responsiblity. 

I know our students have worked so hard at their individual sport and really looked forward to just getting out there and competing. I wish we were able to go watch some of the contest but I realize that this year is different. However, I still like following along by reading the papers or staying up to date with facebook or twitter. Right now I would like to congratulate one of our top athletes. Kaylee Buzard, Sr Health Tech. Last night Kaylee was in the North West Conference (NWC) golf tournament for Delphos Jefferson. Delphos Jefferson won that tournament and became NWC golf champions for the third year in a row. Kaylee shot an amazing 44 last night. Congratulations Kaylee and to the Delphos Jefferson golf team. This is the reason I am glad they play. I hope this brings some normalcy to all the student athletes school year. I realize some teams aren't having the greatest year as far as wins and losses go, but in my eye, you are all winners because you are learning and growing. Good luck the rest of the year!

We Appreciate You

 Well this Friday was supposed to be our "Student Appreciation Day" here at Vantage. This is a day that we set aside to show all of our students how much we appreciate them and how much we appreciate them choosing Vantage for their last two years of high school. Once again, the Covid crisis hits us and the health department decides that "Student Appreciation Day" should not be held just yet. We understand their concerns and all of us will do what we can just to remain in school this year. We are hoping that we can hold that special day later in the year.

However, that doesn't mean we still can't let all of you, students and parents, know how grateful we are that you chose Vantage. It takes a lot of courage to leave something that you have been familiar with for the last ten years or so and completely change everything that you are comfortable with. Many of you left friends, classmates or favorite teachers to pursue opportunities that you can't get anywhere else. You have hopes and dreams of landing a great career or moving on to college to further expand your knowledge in your field of choice. Some of you just wanted a fresh start or to make a change in your educational path. Whatever the reason is, all of us here at Vantage want to say THANK YOU! Thank you for trusting us with the responsibility of preparing you for the work force or higher education. Thank you for believing in us to provide you with the tools to make you successful. We don't take that responsibility lightly. We will do everything we can to make your choice of coming to Vantage, the right choice. 

Now I would like to address the parents and guardians of our students. Thank you for trusting us with your most precious possessions. We realize that it was probably a tough decision for some of you to make. This might be your first child you sent to Vantage and you weren't sure of what to expect. Maybe your student has had siblings or cousins come to Vantage and you heard a lot of great things but were still hesitant. Entering a new school with the Covid crisis going on can also be difficult and confusing. I just want all of you to know that your students are in great hands here at Vantage and we will do everything to make him or her successful. I also want you to know that you should be very proud of your student for making the tough choice that they did. I know it has only been a few short weeks that we have been in school but I want to let you know that you should be proud of them for the way the carry themselves and for how polite and kind they are. I have heard from so many staff members that our seniors and juniors this year are some of the best students we have had. I know that our Senior class is such a pleasure to be around and that they are tough and resilient. For all that they had to go through at the end of last year, and to see the positive attitude they came back to school with, is just amazing. We have so many new rules with masks, social distancing, sanitizing, and having four lunches, that to see our students adjust in such a smooth way is a testimony to how you have raised them. For that we say thank you.

In closing, I just want to say a special thanks to all the student athletes, band members, etc that chose to come to Vantage. I am sure you have seen the picture by now on Twitter or our Facebook page, but I also wanted to share it with you. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and when you look at that picture above, you have to be impressed. It takes a lot of discipline and hard work to play any type of sport or cheer or play in band. These are the types of students who are attending Vantage. Leaders, hard workers and students who are committed to a goal. What an impressive picture and what an impressive group of students we have in the Class of 2021 and 2022. Thank you, we truly appreciate it!

Hard Times

 I believe that everyone of us would have to say that we as a nation and all of us personally, are going through some hard times. This isn't the world we are used to and this isn't something that we have ever lived with before. It is new for all of us. We aren't comfortable with the isolation, the masks, the social distancing and whatever new rules we have to follow. All of us long for the "good ole days" and wish we could turn back time. However, this new normal is a reality for now. I am not sure how long it will be like this and I don't think many of the experts know how long it will be like this. What I do know is that we have the choice in how we will deal with it. Like all situations, I feel we can stay positive or we can be negative. The old saying, the glass is half full or half empty. I believe now is the time to say the glass is half full.

We are starting a new school year and all of us are hoping that things go well and we can continue to meet face to face for the entire year. I don't think any of us want to go back to virtual learning. Our school has had to make a lot of changes so that we can start school on time and have students in our building. This was not an easy task. I personally would like to thank so many of our staff and administration for the tremendous amount of work they did over the summer so that we can start on time and safely. I always hate to leave anyone out but I know the following staff put in a lot of hours and dealt with a lot of frustrations to get us where we are at today: Mr. Turner, Mr. Knott, Mrs. VanTilburg, Mr. Verhoff, Ms. Temple, Mr. Darrell Miller, Mrs. Gillett, Mrs Yearling, Mr. Compton, Mrs. Falk, Mrs. Lippi, Mrs. Owens, the entire front office staff and all of our maintenance crew. The different scenarios and situations that this group had to deal with is beyond comprehension. They were in constant contact with the health department and our school board to make sure we have the safest possible environment for our students and that we would be able to meet face to face. Once again, thank you to each and everyone of you. I am so proud to work for Vantage Career Center and my fellow workers.

I realize when the teachers and students return, things will be quite different. We now have four lunch times to deal with. There are new class time periods, 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B that we have to deal with. We will not all be eating lunch in the commons. I promise you, things will not go like you were used to last year. There will be bumps in the road and glitches that need to be smoothed out. There will be new problems that have to be solved or issues that haven't been thought of. I just ask that everyone be patient and know that things will work out. The bottom line is that we want what is best for our students. I want our seniors to have a great final year built with a lot of great memories. I don't want them to miss out on graduation ceremonies or our award ceremony at the Niswonger center. I hope we can make their final year fun and enjoyable and get their mind off of the virus, even for a little while. If all of us stay positive and not complain about some frustrations that we may encounter, I promise you this could be a great year. A positive attitude is contagious but unfortunately, so is a negative attitude. So even though we will be wearing mask, maybe not sitting with our friends at lunch or dealing with things we aren't used to, please let us all be upbeat. You know, we are only given 24 hours each day. Let us make the most of those hours and hope for a better tomorrow. 

Let me leave you with this final quote from Bob Riley, "Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the "hero" within us is revealed". 

Beautiful World

This will be my final blog of the year and so this is the time where I always say my goodbye to the Senior class. This year is obviously different in so many ways from previous years. Just a few months ago we wouldn't have been familiar with the terms, social distancing, Corona virus, flattening the curve or Covid-19. However those terms are more common to us than we wish. The year didn't end the way we all wanted it to end either. We finished the year with Zoom meetings and Google meets rather than greeting each other in the halls and lunchroom. I guess this shows us that life doesn't always go the way we want it to and we really have to learn to adapt and adjust. I really want to thank all the seniors for the way they have adjusted. So many of you jumped into the online learning system and just did a fantastic job and finished strong. I am starting to feel the anticipation of our online awards ceremony on May 22nd at 6:30 via the Vantage YouTube channel. I think the students are really going to enjoy this great tribute to the Class of 2020.

I have a tradition for my final blog and it is repeating the words to one of my favorite songs by Rascal Flatts - My Wish. It's funny but this song was written when most of you were about four years old so you may have to listen to it on YouTube, I think you will enjoy it. The song starts like this:
       "I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow, and each road leads you where you wanna go, and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose, I hope you choose the one that means the most to you. And if one door opens to another door closed, I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window, if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile. But more than anything, more than anything... My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can haul, and while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this is my wish".

As the words say, I really do hope you enjoy life, take it one day at a time and don't get upset by some of the little things you will face. Shoot, look at all you went through to finish high school, and you made it. I hope you never give up when you run into trouble. Please don't give up on your dreams, use them as motivation. I also want you to know that wherever you end up or whatever you end up doing, I do care for you and I do want the same thing for you. My door is always open after you leave. Feel free to call or email me anytime. I welcome it.

   "I hope you never look back, but you never forget, All the ones who love you, in the place you live, I hope you always forgive, and you never regret, And you help somebody every chance you get. Oh you find God's grace in every mistake, and always give more than you take".

Some pretty simple rules that will help you as you head out into the "real world". Don't hold on to grudges or hold on to your anger just because someone may have made you upset. You will find that when you forgive, you will be released and set free from an invisible prison. You will be a better person because of it. Please continue to give back to the community in which you live. You will not believe how good it feels when you reach out and help someone. Many of you have volunteered while you were in school, keep it up every chance you get.

Well, I will miss all of you and I hope you come back to visit once we get back to normal. Thanks for trusting me with your friendship, your troubles and the last two years of your high school. I know all of you are stronger than you think. Keep your chin up and head high. I thought I would close with some words to a new song I recently heard by Kenny Chesney, "It's a big old beautiful world out there. Sometimes you just gotta let it take you where the roller coaster ride meets the tilt a whirl, It's a big old beautiful world". It certainly is, now go and enjoy it.

One More Day

The words we all heard the other day form the Governor were tough to hear, "School will be closed for the remainder of the year". I think most of us knew that was coming but reality sets in when you hear it officially announced. I keep thinking back to the day, March 13th, when Mr. Turner called us down to the commons to tell us we were closing down for three weeks. That in itself was a shock but didn't really hit home. I left the school with all the material I thought I would need for the next three weeks and cleaned up the office a little bit. I figured that maybe this virus thing is getting serious so we probably should stay away from each other for awhile. I remember driving home and looking at the empty fields and the hope and promise of spring around the corner. I believe even the trees were starting to bud and giving us all hope that warmer weather and nicer days were just around the corner. I started to think about all the things that I have to do at the end of the year that I might have to do from home. I knew I usually start our scheduling about this time. I needed to make sure all the seniors kept up on the scholarship applications, act testing, college applications, etc. I started to get overwhelmed but than I said to myself, it's only three weeks. When I get back to school I will meet with the students and make sure they are aware of all the things seniors do at this "time of year".

This time of year. What an awesome time this usually is for seniors. They are finishing up their final year of school and looking forward to college, going out and making some "real" money or maybe serving our country in the military. I have always enjoyed this time of year. The seniors start to realize that they are finished. I saw many students with tears in their eyes because they were going to miss Vantage, or maybe they were scared about facing the "real world". Either way, they always seem to get closer this time of year. Whether they just want to talk or they want the year to last just a little bit longer, it is an exciting time. It certainly can be a sad time, knowing that I probably won't see many of them anymore. They promise they will be back but they get busy with their careers, away at college and even raising families. I understand that. That is why I enjoy our Open House night. That may be the first time I see a former student since they graduated. It is so great to catch up on what they have been doing and maybe even get to see their new wife or child. So knowing that I may not see the student for awhile or maybe never, the last month has always been a good time to pull up a chair in lab or at the lunch table and have our final goodbyes and laughs. I get to talk to them about their hopes and dreams. To let them know how much they have impacted my life. It is also a time I use to thank them for choosing Vantage and for getting the most out of their time here. I remind them that you are now part of our family.

I won't have that one on one time this year but I can try to do my best on this blog. I realize that with the Governors announcement, it impacted each and everyone of you in different ways. I know your senior year is not "normal". Spring sports are postponed as well as proms. Graduation parties probably will not be happening or at least on a smaller scale. Hopefully every school figures out a way to have a graduation ceremony. However, I still want all of you to know that I am proud of you and your accomplishments. There are so many great students that have accomplished so much in their two years at Vantage. I think of all the awards and certifications in your programs. I think of all the skills that you have learned and the many projects that you have completed in your labs. Continue to work hard the rest of your life and be a leader wherever you go. Take chances and make smart choices. I know that all of you are way too young to remember a song by Diamond Rio, "One more day". I realize the song is about something much deeper than the closing of our schools but there are a few lines in the song that I think have some special meaning as to how I feel right now. They go like this:

Last night I had a crazy dream
A wish was granted just for me
It could be for anything
I didn't ask for money
Or a mansion in Malibu
I simply wished for one more day with you!

I truly wish I had one more day with all of you students. I didn't realize that when you walked out the door on March 13th, that I wouldn't see you again this year. I guess we never know what tomorrow holds. I hope one thing we all learn is that nothing is guaranteed. Take each day with all the gusto you can and treat each other with kindness, compassion and love. Maybe if we are blessed, we will get one more day.

Some Good News

While I was listening to Mr. Knott's morning announcements today, I came up with an idea for today's blog. You may have heard Mr. Knott mention that yesterday he was kind of down in the dumps and just a funky kind of day. A lot had to do with the weather and being stuck inside, but he also mentioned that he was watching too much news and following the Corona crisis on social media. Now, Mr. Knott must not be reading my blog (just kidding) because I have warned all of you about watching the news and how it can bring you down. However, with that being said, I want to point out that there is some news that I hope you would watch. I don't know how many of you are fans of "The Office" sitcom that was on years ago but is still played all the time on reruns. Well John Krasinski (Jim on the show) felt the same way about all the news that is on 24/7 so he decided to come up with "Some Good News" youtube show. He said he had no idea how big this would get. It now has 16 million views. It tells all the good things that people are doing throughout this crisis. It really is heart warming and makes you feel good to watch it. He just finished his third episode this week. I will put the links here and you can watch them at your leisure. They are about 10-15 minutes each but very enjoyable.

Episode #1

Episode #2

Episode #3

I also would like to share something else I came across. As some of you may know, I am a big Mitch Albom fan. Mitch wrote "Tuesdays with Morrie", "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" and several others. Well during this crisis, he is trying something new. He is writing a book in real time. His book is about the Coronavirus crisis and how a small town in Michigan deals with it. The book is fiction but it touches on the very things we are going through today. He is posting the book for free, that's right , no charge. However, he is writing a chapter per week and then releasing it on the internet. Last week was the first chapter. I have already recommended this to several other people and they are hooked. Today he comes out with chapter 2 and I can't wait. The book is titled, "Human Touch". Just visit humantouchstory.com and start reading today. I know you will enjoy it and find it uplifting.

Well I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. A reminder, you can email me anytime you want to talk and I will get back with you as soon as possible. Finally, remember, there is always some good news out there.

GRATEFUL

I hope everyone is managing to find some sense of normalcy during this Coronavirus shutdown. I have talked to or emailed several of you and I am encouraged to find you are finding things to do to keep busy and keep your mind off of all the news reports and negativity. I have also heard so many great reports that our students are checking in everyday and joining Google Meetings and getting their assignments completed. You guys are really awesome and I appreciate all the effort you are putting forth. I hope everyone is finding time to watch the morning announcements each day. They are informative and sometimes pretty entertaining.

One thing Mr. Knott mentioned on Monday during his "movie quote" day, was a great quote from the movie "Good Will Hunting". "You will have bad times but it'll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren't paying attention to".  I started to think about the good stuff I wasn't paying attention to and realized that maybe this tough time we are going through really does help you appreciate the things we do everyday and aren't really grateful for. I know I miss seeing Mr. Verhoff in the parking lot waving to all the students as they come and go. I miss my morning coffee while standing in the hallway greeting the students coming into school in the morning. I truly miss the students and having conversations with Chase Martin in the morning. I appreciate all the lunch times where I get to walk the lunch room and speak with the students. Eating lunch at home is cheaper, but I really appreciate my lunch room buddies and our conversations. I have read a few good books while I am off but I miss going into the media center and talking to Mrs. Knodel about them. I could go on and on with all the things I truly appreciate since this shutdown. Our teachers, staff and administration are AWESOME! What else can I say. They have been leaders throughout this entire crisis and have made the best decisions in the interest of the staff and students. Thank all of you. I hope you will take the time to practice this exercise. Think about what you miss that you used to take for granted. Maybe when we return we will all have a little different perspective.

One last thing I would like to mention for all of you who may be feeling down or sad at this time. I just read an article that stated that "Science says Gratitude is good for your body, mind, emotions and relationships". Studies show that when we are grateful we experience more energy, less anxiety and more restful sleep. It's good for our health, our happiness, our relationships, even our longevity. They say that being grateful has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression. As I write this, it is with a heavy heart. My older brother passed away yesterday. He had been suffering with cancer for about two years. I know he is at peace now. I remember he used to get up so early every morning all his life. I asked him one time why he did this and he said, "Jim, you only get so many sunrises and sunsets in a your lifetime. I want to enjoy everyone of them". I think he died grateful and taught me a long time ago to be grateful for so many things. I know we are in strange times but my wish for all of you is that you would write down the things you are grateful for. Things that you truly appreciate in your life. Every once in awhile it will do you good to take a look at that list and be thankful. I hope some of the things I mentioned will help you as we go through these uncertain times. Remember that you can email me anytime you want and I will get back with you as soon as possible. If you need to talk, we can arrange that. Take care and be grateful.

The New Normal

As I type this blog, sitting in my home office (Dining room), I can't help but think how strange all of this is. I am sure it is just as strange for all of you students also. I think this is something we will have to get used to for quite awhile. I hope everyone is checking in to their classes everyday and doing their assignments. If you haven't been doing this, you need to check in everyday and be working on your assignments. If not, you will be marked absent and receive zeroes for your work. Mr. Miller will also be making calls and see why you haven't been checking in. Third quarter grades should be posted tomorrow, Friday March 20th. For all of you seniors that are going on to college, here is a good article to read: https://pleasantonweekly.com/blogs/p/2020/03/12/finishing-strong-colleges-can-revoke-admission-offers. The article is a reminder that colleges can still pull back your acceptance it they feel your grades dropped the last quarter of your senior year. I just want everyone to work hard and finish strong and lets get this crazy year over with.

I also found some information that I thought would be useful for anyone who is feeling a little stressed through all of this. I use an app called "Calm" and they are offering a lot of free resources during this Coronavirus crisis. They offer a lot of useful ways to keep yourself relaxed, calm and less stressed. Please check it out here: https://www.calm.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath?utm_source=lifecycle&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=difficult_times_nonsubs_031720

Finally, I hope you are watching our morning announcements each day. Mr. Knott is streaming a video of himself as he reads the morning announcements each day. This is another way to keep connected and stay in a routine. I hope you will watch this mornings video because it ends in a really cute way. I won't spoil it for you though. Take care and stay stress free.

Here to Help

What a strange and unusual time we are living in. As most of you are trying to get used to not having school for at least three weeks, many of the staff and administration are trying to figure this all out too. I have to admit that it seems kind of surreal. It truly is bizarre not having spring sports or practices. Having the state tournaments cancelled after so much hard work from all the athletes and watching the news that is 100% focused on the virus. It seems like there are so many questions that all of you have and yet no one has an answer yet. That is the frustrating part for all of you, I am sure. I realize you have questions about graduation, proms, college admissions and even your jobs. I will not try to answer any of those questions on my blog unless I hear from administration. What I can suggest is that you keep watching our social media posts. These will keep all of you updated as more and more information becomes available.

What I will do on this blog is try to put all of you a little more at ease. I want you to know that you can email me 24/7 while we are off school. I have answered several emails already just in the last few days. I will do my best to get back to you in a timely manner. If you are having stress or anxiety and just want to chat, then please email me and we can do that. My email is: fisher.j@vantagecareercenter.com . I would suggest that while you are off school for awhile, that you would avoid watching the news constantly. Please try not to constantly look at your phone for latest news and updates. Too much information can overwhelm you and cause you more stress and anxiety. Also, so many of the social media sites are just gossip and not actual facts. This could be a time where you connect more with yourself and your family. Take time to read a good book, play a board game, go outside for a walk or even a run. Ride your bike and take time to be thankful for the beautiful things you see outside. I also believe writing in a journal can help you take your mind off the stressful things. Write down your thoughts, feelings, reflections, joys, sorrows, things you are thankful for, things you dream about and any other things you want to put down on paper. Finally, do your school work. All of your teachers have discussed how you can access your assignments. It might be Google Classroom or via email. Whatever way is used, get your assignments done. You are still responsible for them. If you have questions on an assignment, email your teacher. They will be getting back to you in a timely manner.

I would like to leave you with a couple thoughts from the coronavirus.ohio.gov web site. Remember that the majority of people who contract COVID-19 will have only minor symptoms and will not need to be hospitalized. The elderly with underlying conditions are the ones most at risk. You can do your part by washing hands with water and soap, avoid contact with people who are sick, stay home when you are sick, cover your mouth with tissues or sleeve when coughing or sneezing, avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth with unwashed hands and practice good hygiene habits. Most of all, I hope you will find ways to reduce your anxiety over this, it will pass. I care about you and I want you to know that I am available if you need to talk. This is uncharted territory for all of us, but together we can stay strong and help end this virus. Thank you,

Love Is Respect

First of all, Happy Valentines Day. As I mentioned in my last post, February is Teen Dating Violence month. I mentioned a lot of statistics about teen dating violence and what to look for. Well I thought today, seeing that it is Valentines Day, I would mention some of the things that teens should be looking for in the other person when they are dating. Some of the positive things that will help build a relationship and things that will make a relationship last. Here is a short list from the Prevention Action Alliance:

• Treats you with respect
• Doesn't make fun of things you like or want to do
• Never puts you down
• Doesn't get angry if you spend time with your friends or family
• Listens to your ideas and can compromise with you
• Isn't excessively negative
• Shares some of your interests and supports you in pursuing what you love
• Shares their thoughts and feelings
• Is comfortable around your friends and family
• Is proud of your accomplishments and successes
• Respects your boundaries and doesn't abuse technology to violate your boundaries
• Doesn't require you to "check in" or need to know where you are all the time
• Is caring and honest
• Doesn't pressure you to do things that you don't want to do
• Doesn't constantly accuse you of cheating or being unfaithful
• Encourages you to do well in school
• Doesn't threaten you or make you feel scared
• Understands the importance of healthy relationships

Finally, remember that healthy relationships are based on respect, communication, trust, honesty and equality. Thanks for reading and have a great Valentines Day.

Teen Dating Violence

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Teen DV Month (sometimes called TDVAM) is a national effort to raise awareness about abuse in teen and 20-something relationships and promote programs that prevent it. I realize we are getting close to Valentines day and people think about romance and love but it is also a good time to talk about the other side of that coin.

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.

According to the Project Aware Ohio website, 1 in 3 teens has been a victim of dating violence and about 1 in 3 has committed relationship violence. 9.6% of high school students in a dating relationship have been physically hurt on purpose (being hit, slammed into something, or injured with an object or weapon) by a boyfriend or girlfriend. 10.6% of high school students in a dating relationship have been forced to do sexual things by a boyfriend or girlfriend. I think it is important that you realize that teen dating violence is not just hitting but also includes controlling another person. If your dating partner will not let you hang out with your friends, if they call or text you constantly to find out where you are, if they tell you what to wear, or if they want you to be with them at all times, then these are signs of controlling behavior. Do not settle for this.

The sad part about teen dating violence is that only 33% of teens who were in an abusive relationship ever told anyone about the abuse. 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. You deserve better than this.