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Oakwood School Board member, Dr. Jim Uphoff. at left, explains the legislative goals of the National School Boards Association to Ohio Third District Congressman Mike Turner, at right, as his Legislative Aide for Education Joe Heaton, middle, listens. Uphoff then gave Turner and Heaton the NSBA folder entitled, Pledge to America’s School Children.
In late January, 2007 I was in Washington, DC as a part of one thousand local school board members from throughout the nation. Each is a member of the National School Boards Association’s Federal Relations Network. This annual meeting includes the FRN members (at least one from every congressional district) learning about the legislative efforts of the past year and becoming informed about the priorities for 2007.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Pledge to America’s School Children.”
This pledge which had already been signed by over 80 members of Congress at that time had four main elements: 1. Improve the No Child Left Behind act in its reauthorization process in ‘07. 2. Support the special needs programs with adequate funding and efficient procedures. 3. Strengthen teacher quality nationally via several ‘common-sense’ changes to NCLB. and 4. Improve early childhood education via the creation of a new, but voluntary preschool program that local schools and parents could opt to utilize.
I had sent materials to our Ohio Third District Congressman, Mike Turner. I then met with him just off the House Chamber in the Capitol Building in between votes. I shared with him the legislative goals of the NSBA-FRN. I encouraged him to sign the formal Pledge and also encouraged him to become a joint sponsor for HB 648 introduced/sponsored by Representative Don Young (R-Alaska). This bill addresses almost all of the suggested ways to make the No Child Left Behind bill much stronger, more workable, and more comprehensive.
Mr. Turner said that he was not familiar with this bill at the moment but that he would give our request serious consideration. He urged me to continue to work closely with his Legislative Aide for Education issues, Mr. Joseph Heaton, a native of Centerville where his step-father was the school’s Treasurer. Attorney/Aide Heaton and I have known each other for several years and have a good working relationship. While I come from the Oakwood School System, I represent ALL school systems in this congressional district ranging from Hillsboro through Wilmington up to Dayton. Former Oakwood Board Member Paige Bartlett held this FRN position prior to me being appointed to it by our Ohio School Boards Association. Thus Oakwood has had a significant role in the federal legislative process for many years.
The Dayton Alumnae Panhel-lenic Association has awarded seven $600 Grants-in-Aid to young women in our area. Last year over $435,000 was raised nationally by community-based alumnae Panhellenic Association and granted in scholarships to over 580 college women.
This year’s undergraduate women chosen for Panhellenic Scholarships are: Jennifer Cahill of Kettering (Miami U), Courtney Cunningham of Huber Heights (WSU), Kara Farquhar of Centerville (UD), Melissa Hailey of Washington Twp. (Ohio State), Julia Judge of Oakwood (Case Western) and Natalie Wanders of Centerville (Indiana University). Lori Campbell of Kettering, a graduate student at the University of Dayton, also received a scholarship.
Lumberjacks Without Borders, an Oakwood Junior High service club, made 150 lunches for The Other Place. The mission of Lumberjacks Without Borders is to help alleviate the problem of world hunger. In addition to making the lunches and taking part in a food drive at Christmas time, students have been working all year long to raise funds to buy an ark through Heifer, International, an organization that provides animals for people who sell the milk, eggs and wool for badly needed income. So far students have raised approximately $3600 of the $5000 needed to purchase the ark through student organized fundraisers like contests, bake sales and an artillery game. Group advisors are Mrs. Allan and Mrs. Whitehair.
The Hauser Group, Inc., is pleased to announce that Lauren Begley of Oakwood, Ohio is taking part in the firm’s spring internship program. Begley is working closely under the The Hauser Group’s team of account executives, gaining insight into the daily activities within a public relations firm.
Begley is currently in her third year at Saint Louis University (SLU) and will graduate in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations. She is also pursuing a certificate in political journalism as well as a minor in political science.
Rhynes is a junior at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) where she is majoring in mass communications, with a concentration in corporate and institutional media. She is also pursuing a minor in speech communication. Rhynes transferred to SIUE in 2006 from Illinois Valley Community College where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the campus newspaper. She has also performed graphics and layout and design work for The Alestle at SIUE and co-hosts SIUE’s weekly television program, Global Village.
The Hauser Group provides public relations services and strategic communications counsel for more than two-dozen clients in a wide array of industries located across the region and throughout the country.
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