President Elect Amanda Senn called the meeting to order on behalf of President Rachel Kerns. David Dix opened the meeting on the piano leading the club in singing of the God Bless America. This was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The invocation was led by Mary Beth Harper. Our opening song was Blowing in The Wind. It was led by Dominique Bollenbacher after a light repartee with David who had suggested to her this was a “new song,” only Dominique said she didn’t know this “old song!” It reinforced our club’s strength in the breadth of our member’s ages! After the laughter died down, we sang this new old song!

 

There were no visiting Rotarians.

 

David Myers introduced Pete Kenworthy.

Asad Khan introduced his daughter Sara.

 

Joan Seidel announced there would be another Pop-Up Food Pantry in conjunction with Kent State University on Thursday from 12:30-2:30.

 

Larry Lohman announced that the District Conference is on April 25 & 26. It will be held at The Marriott East. Registration and information about the variety of sessions being offered can be done at Rotary District 6630.org. He also announced he was looking for help in setting up etc.…from anyone attending. See Larry for details.

 

Dennis Campbell announced a Chamber of Commerce program being held Thursday, March 6, How to Train Your Robots! It is an overview how to use and apply AI to your everyday business and personal life.

 

Steve Dennis announced that over 80% of our Club’s members have stepped up and contributed $25.00 or more to our Every Rotarian/Every Year Campaign. We would like to get to 100%. It should be noted that a significant amount of the collected dollars can return to our club via district grants.

 

Bill Childers had three announcements:

- Rotarian Bill Nome had called to thank Rotary for the card signed by our club members he had   received. 

-He reminded everyone about the NCAA Watch Party on March 21 11:30AM-6:00PM sponsored by United Way. It is held at Ray’s Place Upstairs, and a portion of the sales will be donated to United Way of Portage County.

-Lastly, Bill has two tickets available for Ravenna Rotary’s Reverse Raffle to be held at the Elks. Anyone interested should see him for details.

 

Dominique Bollenbacher announced that the City of Kent has two positions posted for employment. The first one isSecretary to the Chief of Police. The second one is Assistant to The Secretary to the Chief of Police. Anyone interested, or knows someone who may be interested, can go to the city website and apply.

 

Asad Khan decided that with President Rachel Kerns absence and the fun she always brings to the meetings, as well as by “popular demand” he would fill in with two jokes! The punchline on the first was “They are both parasites!” and the second was “You never know when you get a hole in one!” Yes, the groans were in good fun! 

 

Amanda Senn reminded everyone the Rotary Auction was two weeks away! She introduced Nithya Venkataraman and Dominique Bollenbacher who walked through the online ticket purchase process. You can use the QR code and your phone or go directly to the Better World website. They emphasized that they will also accept checks if you don’t want to wrestle with the technology. They also indicated that technology will not be used at the auction like last year. We will be using paper and pencil forms as in the past. They also announced that through the efforts of Nancy Whitehead, there will be a limited number of Rotary drink Tumblers on sale for $25.00 each the night of the auction. They also reminded club members to bring friends to the auction!

 

Dennis Campbell, for he and his wife celebrating their anniversary as well as his first-year anniversary as the president of Kent area Chamber of Commerce.

Larry Lohman, for his mother diagnosed with breast cancer in October and receiving the great news in February that it is gone.

Doug Fuller, who was happy he could write a check for The Rotary Auction.

Carol Crimi, for the wonderful organization by Ben Tipton of “The Lords Luncheon” this past Saturday.

Tom Larkin, for David Myers being appointed to fill a vacancy on the Kent Board of Education and for Craig Foreman, Roosevelt High School teacher, for being our speaker today.

Asad Khan, for daughter Sara and his son who took the ACT, for David Myers appointment to Kent BOE, and his past and present leadership in developing our ongoing Safety Town project.

Anne Moneypenny, for Dennis Campbell being her 5^th Chamber director and she still has a job.

John Flynn, for being recognized by the Portage County Board of Attorneys for his 50 years of law practice.

 

Jennifer Lennox introduced Craig Foreman, a co-founder of Theodore Roosevelt High School’s Expeditionary Academy. Craig has been at Roosevelt for 25 years as a history teacher and has served as the Girl’s Head Basketball Coach for the past 19 years.

 

Craig started the program by thanking the club for the invitation and remarking that he was last here 20 years ago to introduce the program. He noted that in looking out into the audience of Rotarians it seemed to reflect a “Who’s who” of those people who have positively impacted his life, including the building principal who hired him. He vividly remembered that at the 1999 interview Principal Roger Sidoti asked if he liked camping and hiking. He was unaware that there was thought being given to the creation of a program somewhat modeling the Outward-Bound initiative, only embedded in the school curriculum. Teaming up with English teacher Ted Cowan who had some experience with Outward Bound, and Dale Bernacek, a recently retired teacher who had organized a Backpacking Club at the high school, the new program began to take shape. Expeditionary Academy was born and a pilot program was established. Twenty-five years later it is still going strong! He pointed out that it is a “one of a kind” program in a public school in the country!

 

 

Craig made the following points about the academy:

 

-The Guiding Principles of the program are 1) Adventure (getting out of the comfort zone), 2) Diversity and Inclusion, 3) Self-Discovery, 4) The Environmental Ethos, 5) Creative Thinking, 6) Solitude and Reflection, 7) Self-Determination, 8) Success and Failure

 

-Students in the program earn 2 credits of Advanced English,2 credits of Advanced History, 1 credit Physical Education, and ½ credit Health. The program aligns with all the State Learning Standards, but they are met through a different style of teaching and learning.

 

-It is based on The Adventure Model in the Classroom seeking to find answers to compelling questions about who we are as individuals. The goals are:

                  1. Enhance problem-solving competencies

                  2. Promote students to work cooperatively in a group and live with the immediate              

     consequences of their decisions.

3.Force students to adapt to challenging environments.

4. Cause students to rethink strategies used to cope with the world and their conception of  

     self.

-The Exped classroom is Student Centered versus the traditional model of Teacher Centered. The 

focus of the classroom instruction and learning emphasize:

                  -Interacting with the unknown

                  -Construct meaning

                  -Create a thinking process 

                  -Strategize whole to part

                  -Concept based rather than skill based

                  -Multi dimensional context

                  -Thinking catalyzed by the teacher

                  -Focus on active learning

                  -Demonstrated experience as a source of assessment

 

-Over 500 students have been through the course. The students who choose Exped tend to either wanting to do/learning things differently or want to be challenged. Many, if not most, tend to become leaders within the school, having gained confidence through participation in the academy.

 

Craig brought the program to a close by presenting a slide for the audience to think about as to WHY the program is so important using a historical perspective from the 1920s! At that time, Kurt Hahn penned a book entitled Six Declines of Modern Youth. He listed those as the following:

 

                  -Fitness due to modern methods of locomotion

                  -Initiative and Enterprise by the widespread disease of spectatoritis

                  -Memory and imagination due to the confused restlessness of modern life

                  -Skill and Care due to the weakened tradition of craftsmanship

                  -Self-discipline due to the ever-present availability of stimulus and tranquilizers

                  -Compassion due to the unseemly haste with which modern life is conducted

 

He pointed out that this could easily be said today about our youth. He thanked the club again for the opportunity to present the program.

 

 

Asad Khan responded saying it has been an honor and privilege to support Expeditionary Academy, noting he has had two children in the program. Asad pointed out that it meets the Rotary standard of Service above Self! He thanked Craig for being here today and his enthusiasm in serving his students. 

 

 

Submitted by Roger Sidoti