A Joint Initiative Between     Heart of Wisconsin     Business & Economic Alliance and     Community Foundation of Greater     South Wood County

Home About Us B2B Club Breaking News Contact Donate Events / Programs Feedback Ideas Incubator Industry Clusters Links / Resources Progess Funds Progress Teams Public Art / Murals Publications		Breaking News January 21, 2008 - Will you help continue to make America great? By: Shelley Weiler, for the Daily Tribune History is continually being made and it is amazing to look at historical timelines and see the accomplishments of our great nation. But today is filled with challenges. More than ever United States labor is being squeezed by global forces. How can we help America remain great? An answer we can all agree on is to prepare our youth. “We need all children to unfold their full potential; education is now the key ingredient for personal, community, and national success,” stated nationally recognized speaker and author Jamie Vollmer. This message rang through three extraordinary presentations held by Vollmer Monday, January 7 - co-sponsored by the Community Progress Initiative and Mid-State Technical College. This message exemplifies the importance of how we must evaluate our current educational system and based on this analysis, initiate change. To unfold the potential of all children we must recognize that the school system of today is designed for an economy we no longer have. And this system continues to be more and more of a burden on teachers and youth who are expected to learn so much in the limitation of a school year. In his presentation, Mr. Vollmer traced the first American schools to the Puritans in 1640. As schools have evolved, the number of subjects taught has expanded greatly. He stressed that history tells us - any institution that attempts to be all things, will eventually fail. The educators of today are doing an amazing job. Teachers and administrators are teaching more subjects to higher levels than ever before. “Public education has accomplished so much, but America’s teachers and administrators are told – mandated – to do more: not just teach our children, but raise them! They cannot do this alone,” explained Vollmer. How do we start to make changes in education? The answer is not simple and it involves a lot of community conversation and cultural change. There are many parts of the educational system to examine. Vollmer suggests that we must come together and answer two essential questions, “What do we want children to know and be able to do when they graduate? And, how can schools and the entire community be organized to ensure that all children reach the stated goals?” Other parts of the answer include: being informed about educational legislature, discontinuing polarization in education and working together in a positive light. This discussion is part of The Workforce Training & Education Cluster focus. You are invited to join the cluster with your ideas to further answer these important questions Our next meeint is January 21 from 2-4pm at the Riverview Hospital Association, Conference Room A. History is being made right now. Perhaps historians will look back at the timeline of this decade and marvel at the revolutionary changes we made to education and how it was evident that our collaboration was at the forefront of continuing to make America great. The power is with us --the people.
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