At a time when financial institutions along the path around the Falls continue to pay some of the lowest interest rates ever, return on investment can be a common topic of conversation.
The stock market is doing well, and even though there can be risk, the return on funds invested in one of the various funds or individual stocks can pay a higher return than those solid savings accounts.
There are many ways to invest, and the return can vary widely. The investments with the greatest chances of success can be much more attractive. We had a great example Wednesday evening when Oconto Falls High School had its scholarship night. The OFHS class of 2015 has about 120 members. The unofficial tally of the scholarships given that night came to $470,000.
The majority of the scholarships originated in the community. There is a clear message that investing in higher education for our students pays a great return on the investment made.
Among the many presenters was Leonard Burns, who had a long career as a guidance counselor at OFHS. When he started there were no local scholarships. He was involved with starting the scholarship award night, and only one scholarship was given at that first award program.
Many of the scholarships are tributes or memorials to someone who has passed away. In a way this keeps their memory alive and their spirit lives on. Often times the memorial scholarship is awarded year after year.
Since coming to Oconto Falls, I never missed one of the programs and have seen literally millions in scholarship money awarded. Wednesday night, I had the opportunity to award a scholarship that will be a one-time award.
During the 2013-14 school year I had the honor of serving as the president of the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, the state organization for school superintendents. Serving as the WASDA president takes a fair amount of time and energy. Being away from the office can take a toll on operations, but having a great team back in the office can help make things run smoothly.
The term of president involves a fair amount of travel around the state and a chance to interact with superintendents in every corner of Wisconsin. It is a very rewarding experience, but there is no compensation for all the time that service requires.
There are some perks. The president gets a gavel with his or her name on it. There is a recognition plaque at the end of the term. The memories are priceless. With the office of president comes recognition and the chance to work closely with leaders of other organizations to do positive things for the young people in our public schools. There were success stories and a few disappointments, as always in life.
Although there is no compensation, one of the perks is the opportunity to award a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior. Scholarship selection is always interesting. Many of the scholarships have specific criteria such as going into a natural resources field or some other specific area of study.
With the WASDA scholarship, the field was wide open, and the WASDA past president can go in any direction with the award.
As I thought about it, I did not want to recognize the top student with the award. The people at the very top of the class usually do well in collecting scholarships. The business of being a school superintendent requires a wide variety of skills and great people skills. The best ones are not afraid to get their hands dirty if needed. Practical application of knowledge is important. Skill with the use of technology is a must.
Goal setting and accomplishing those goals is also a key for success. Ultimately, building positive relationships is a critical component of the work in that business. It was hoped that the student receiving this award would possess a number of those characteristics.
To help with that selection process, I turned to the OFHS tech ed department for a few suggestions. The students going through that department have to be “hands on” and the relationships built between students in those classes can be very positive because of the team effort needed on many projects.
In the end the unanimous suggestion came down to one student who knows much about goal setting and hard work. Sam Konitzer had no clue but flashed a great smile and gave a firm handshake when he got the award on stage.
Categories
