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By Jim Uphoff, Ed. D.
Another election is now over! I am glad not only as a candidate in that election, but also as a very involved citizen who became more and more angry at the terrible ads being used by many other candidates. The sad element is that so many seem to believe that the extreme negativity works! This time, it was not so and that pleases me!
When I entered the race for the State Board of Education District 3 position, I was very much aware that such a race with multiple candidates and over a 3 and 1/3 county area would be difficult. While I had some good support from education organizations and educators themselves, this “audience” is a minority of all voters. In addition, we educators are not politically active enough to be aggressive on behalf of candidates and issues which we strongly favor.
I visited many school boards in the entire district. I wrote to all board members, superintendents, and treasurers twice during the campaign. I had ads in all weekly and daily newspapers serving the area. But as a “solo” candidate with no campaign organization, I could not even go or send a representative to all of the ‘candidate nights’ to which I was invited.
The best news for me, and it was a major ego boost, came from the fact that my own community of Oakwood supported me VERY STRONGLY. In Oakwood I received 66.75 percent of the vote for this office. The votes from our 11 precincts ranged from a low of 61.18 percent to a high of 72.6 percent - all of which are deeply appreciated as they have come from those who know me best!
The other good news which is also a major compliment to me came from the fact that I received strong endorsements and dollars from all of the teacher and school employee associations/unions even though I am a registered Republican and even though I have been on the management side of education for 18 years as a Board of Education member. This trust, respect and confidence also came from other members of the leadership teams of local schools. I am humbled by this diverse support and also very pleased.
Thanks to all of you who ignored my own party’s snub in its mailings to its members (except they sent nothing to me!) and voted for me. You also ignored the regional paper’s theory that business knows best when you voted for me! I look forward to continuing to work with and for you throughout 2007 as I conclude my service to the community as a member of our Board of Education.
Dr. Uphoff is a Past- President of the Ohio School Boards Association. He is also an Associate Director for WSU’S Center for Teaching and Learning. He is one of 17 voting members on the Ohio Educator Standards Board. He can be emailed at james.uphoff-@wright.edu
On Sept. 21, 2006, Alan Brothers, a 1997 graduate of Oakwood High School, was awarded a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. Brothers received a BS in Engineering and Applied Science from CalTech in Pasadena, CA.
He has been awarded a post-doctoral Helmholtz Fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service and is currently living in Berlin, conducting research in the development of cellular aluminum at the Technical University of Berlin and the Hahn-Meitner Institute.
Brothers, son of Don and Laurie Brothers, formerly lived on East Schantz Avenue in Oakwood.
“Right click”…”Double click” echoed through the computer lab at Holy angels School as tech-savvy, sixth, seventh and eighth graders assisted seniors at the first seession of an introductory computer class sponsored by the University of Dayton Lifelong Learning Institute (UDLLI).
Becky Bauer, computer teacher at the school, generously volunteered her time after the regular school day to instruct 25 participants in the basics. She had no trouble recruiting Holy Angels students to assist in the instruction. For the duration of the six-week course, each senior had a student tutor standing by to help carry out Ms. Bauer’s directions. Fifth graders served as e-mail buddies. No doubt about it – these students are the computer generation.
By the last session, Mrs. Bauer and her students has walked the seniors through the steps of personalizing a desktop, installing a screen saver, sending an e-mail, surfing the Web, and using Word. The last class included a demo on Power Point and CD-DVD features.
Rob Fortener, principal, was a gracious host. At the first session, he guided participants through the halls to the computer lab and later stepped in to offer encouragement.
The class ended with participants asking for more and gladly accepting Mrs. Bauer’s offer of an informational help session later in the month.
UDLLI is an outreach program for senior adults sponsored by UD Continuing Education.
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