I had a rare opportunity last night.
I stood in a room packed with more than 500 people, and listened to them heap praise on the newspaper.
The occasion was the annual Partners in Learning Celebration put on by our friends at the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union.
The Daily Times is a sponsor of the dinner, as well as big proponent of the two big awards being doled out. Those would be the 20 kids named to the 2010 All-Delco Hi-Q team, as well as the 2010 winners of the Excellence in Teaching Awards.
I hope you saw the Sunday and Monday papers. On Sunday we featured the All-Delco Hi-Q team, which is fashioned after the All-Delco teams the newspaper names for each high school sport.
I still find it hard to believe that it’s been six years since John Unangst, from the Credit Union, and Harry Jamison, then boss of the county Intermediate Unit, paid a visit to my office and asked if I’d be interested in formulating an All-Delco team for the Hi-Q tournament, the nation’s oldest scholastic quiz competition.
The rest, as they say, is history.
On Sunday we featured the students, one from each school school that participates in Hi-Q. On Monday we ran similar photos and bios of the 19 teachers named to receive the Excellence in Teaching Awards.
This year we added a new wrinkle. When each student and teacher arrived at our offices here in beautiful downtown Primos to be interviewed and have their picture taken, we also took a video clip of them. The videos appeared on our Web site. They also were played at the banquet last night in front of those 500-plus people. I wonder if they could see me beaming.
In my remarks, I told them of the struggle I face every day in trying to balance “bad” news with “good” news. It’s not easy. Actually it’s all too easy to simply portray a skewed image of our towns, our schools, and especially our young people.
That’s part of the reason I did these two stories, and why they appeared on our front page.
I admitted to the audience that we are not going to agree on everything.
I don’t doubt for a minute that there were many teachers in the house last night who disagree vehemently with some of our editorial positions when it comes to teacher contracts. It didn’t show to me. They could not have been more gracious.
At least for one night, we were all on the same page.
I can’t tell you how unusual it is for a newspaper editor to stand in a crowded ballroom listening as everyone in the house showered praise on the newspaper.
Believe me, it doesn’t happen often.
Thanks to John Unangst, Rick Durante and all the folks at the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union for another great night.
And to all the students and teachers, as well as their families, who were honored last night: We could not be more proud to be a part of your success, and letting everyone in this county know about the special young people, and their mentors, in our midst.
Bravo!
I stood in a room packed with more than 500 people, and listened to them heap praise on the newspaper.
The occasion was the annual Partners in Learning Celebration put on by our friends at the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union.
The Daily Times is a sponsor of the dinner, as well as big proponent of the two big awards being doled out. Those would be the 20 kids named to the 2010 All-Delco Hi-Q team, as well as the 2010 winners of the Excellence in Teaching Awards.
I hope you saw the Sunday and Monday papers. On Sunday we featured the All-Delco Hi-Q team, which is fashioned after the All-Delco teams the newspaper names for each high school sport.
I still find it hard to believe that it’s been six years since John Unangst, from the Credit Union, and Harry Jamison, then boss of the county Intermediate Unit, paid a visit to my office and asked if I’d be interested in formulating an All-Delco team for the Hi-Q tournament, the nation’s oldest scholastic quiz competition.
The rest, as they say, is history.
On Sunday we featured the students, one from each school school that participates in Hi-Q. On Monday we ran similar photos and bios of the 19 teachers named to receive the Excellence in Teaching Awards.
This year we added a new wrinkle. When each student and teacher arrived at our offices here in beautiful downtown Primos to be interviewed and have their picture taken, we also took a video clip of them. The videos appeared on our Web site. They also were played at the banquet last night in front of those 500-plus people. I wonder if they could see me beaming.
In my remarks, I told them of the struggle I face every day in trying to balance “bad” news with “good” news. It’s not easy. Actually it’s all too easy to simply portray a skewed image of our towns, our schools, and especially our young people.
That’s part of the reason I did these two stories, and why they appeared on our front page.
I admitted to the audience that we are not going to agree on everything.
I don’t doubt for a minute that there were many teachers in the house last night who disagree vehemently with some of our editorial positions when it comes to teacher contracts. It didn’t show to me. They could not have been more gracious.
At least for one night, we were all on the same page.
I can’t tell you how unusual it is for a newspaper editor to stand in a crowded ballroom listening as everyone in the house showered praise on the newspaper.
Believe me, it doesn’t happen often.
Thanks to John Unangst, Rick Durante and all the folks at the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union for another great night.
And to all the students and teachers, as well as their families, who were honored last night: We could not be more proud to be a part of your success, and letting everyone in this county know about the special young people, and their mentors, in our midst.
Bravo!
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