The Western Way
September 29, 2015
When he was in elementary school, my younger son Luke often traveled with me on MHSAA business. Today, Luke is living in Shanghai, China, where he is the principal of an elementary school for Chinese children.
The parents of these Chinese children want their youngster (it’s usually an only child) educated in the western way so the child can get into a western high school and college.
Those parents want their children speaking English. But much more than that, they want their children thinking critically and creatively. And they want their children engaging in extracurricular programs that teach teamwork and leadership.
Those parents want the kind of schools we operate in Michigan. They want the kind of programs we offer here.
We educate the whole child; and the whole world wants what we do.
Not only that – unlike most of the rest of the world, we not only educate the whole child, we educate every child. Most other countries don’t even try.
Mountaintop Experience
May 15, 2018
Thinking that I’m younger than my almost 70 years, many people assume that I have another job lined up after my retirement in August. My response has been that if I needed or wanted to work full time, I would not leave the employment of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. It’s the best job – at least for me – in America.
Strong staff, supportive board, comfortable conditions, good benefits and – most of all – great mission. I’ve been at the top of the mountain; why would I ever go anywhere else?
And speaking of mountains ...
I depart for Peru next week to hike the Inca Trail. It’s not a long trek – 31 miles over four days – but there’s thousands of feet of up and down to deal with at very high altitude.
For a brief time I’ll be trading one mountaintop experience – serving the MHSAA – for another – hiking to Machu Picchu.