Toss A Toy & Thanks

Well once again, the staff and students at Vantage Career Center did an outstanding job in raising money to purchase toys for so many area children. Mrs Amy Grothouse has led this charge for the last six years and will be stepping down after this year. I know all of us want to thank her so much for taking this task on and doing such a great job with it. So many children have been touched by this program over the years and Amy has the stories to go with it. If you get a chance, just ask her about some of the stories she has heard over the years and even an interesting "marriage" story that she just heard about this year. Thank you Amy for making Christmas special for so many children.

Mrs G. read off the totals at lunch time today and they were impressive. We have several days where we raise funds for this project and each one was a great success. Our change stall day raised over $702 dollars. The colored extensions day made over $202, this is led by Mrs Smith and the Cosmetology students. This money was raised just during lunch time on a single day. The ugly sweater contest raised over $100. With several jeans days and other events, the grand total for this year was $4077.91. WOW! That is truly amazing.

Now this is the true spirit of Christmas giving and making so many young children happy on Christmas morning. I know Mrs Grothouse can't thank all of you enough for all that you have done for her over the last few years. This just shows what an awesome Vantage family we have. Thanks again and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.

Eagle Pride

Once again I get to write a short blog to honor one of our fine young students here at Vantage Career Center. Jordan Lofton, Senior Welder from Ft. Jennings, has just earned his Eagle Scout award. Just last year we were honored to have two students earn this award and now this year Jordan adds his name to our growing list. This is such a great accomplishment that I am always thrilled to spread the news whenever it happens. Earning the Eagle Scout award is a big deal. According to the National Eagle Scout Association, only about 5% of all Boy Scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. To become an Eagle Scout, you must earn a total of at least 21 merit badges, including the following: First Aid, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Personal Fitness, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, Personal Management, Swimming (Hiking or Cycling), Camping, Cooking and Family Life. They are also required to complete a service project.

Jordan completely revamped a small area of the outdoor Science lab at Ft. Jennings High School by having stone brought in and spreading it out around the grounds. He also built two picnic tables at the site because the other ones were completely ruined. The amazing thing about this project is that it didn't cost Jordan anything to accomplish this task except some sweat and hard labor. Vetter lumber in Ft. Jennings donated the wood for the tables and Mr. Langhals had the stone brought in for the project. Jordan said the entire project, from planning to completion, took about a month.

The Eagle awarding ceremony took place on November 11th. Jordan is now an official member of an elite rank. If you get the chance to speak with Jordan, please congratulate him on this great honor and take some time to really get to know him. Jordan is a quiet leader. He may not have a lot of words but he is a great person and very kind and thoughtful. Thanks Jordan for being an inspiration and living up to a very high standard.

Vaping

I am writing this post because there is a real concern that many young students believe that vaping is harmless and they can't get addicted. If you are not aware of the term "vaping", I am referring to the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an
e-cigarette or similar device. The term is used because e-cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke, but rather an aerosol, often mistaken for water vapor, that actually consists of fine particles. Many of these particles contain varying amounts of toxic chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, as well as respiratory and heart disease. The newest and most popular vaping device is the JUUL, which is a small sleek device that resembles a computer USB flash drive. It's subtle, easy to hide and doesn't put off a lot of smoke, thus popular with middle and high students.

In 2017, 1 in 10 students currently used an e-cigarette; now it is 1 in 5. That's more than 3 million kids, and after several years of decline, overall tobacco use is up, largely due to the rising popularity of e-cigarettes. Additionally, many teens do not view these products as harmful and some aren't even aware that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. This is where we come in. All of us need to work together to solve this problem. Parents, teachers and yes, even you fellow students. Get the word out and explain that vaping is serious and addictive.

Some common myths: 1) It's just water vapor - No it's not. Vaping can expose the user's lungs to harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, diacetyl and acrolein. 2) It's just flavoring - Vapes get their flavors from chemicals. While these flavorings are safe in food, inhaling flavors can harm your lungs. 3) My vape says it's nicotine free - Some vapes that claim they are nicotine-free are not! 4) I don't have an addictive personality, I won't get hooked - Vaping delivers nicotine to the brain in as little as 10 seconds. Research shows teens who vape are more likely to try smoking cigarettes.

I believe education and parents put a pretty good halt to tobacco use in young students a few years back. According to the CDC, from 2011 to 2017, cigarette smoking declined among middle and high school students. In 2017, 2 of every 100 middle school students (2.1%) reported that they smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days-a decrease from 4.3% in 2011. However, our children are being attacked again, and they need our help. We need to educate them as to the consequences of vaping and e-cigarettes. In the past year alone, vaping among high student's has increased 78%.

As all of you can see, vaping is no joke. Please get the word out to as many people you can. Discuss it with your family and friends. If you see someone vaping, throw some of these facts at them. Maybe this Thanksgiving break you will have the opportunity to speak to someone about vaping. Grab the opportunity and you just might save someone's life. Thanks for reading and have a great Thanksgiving and a relaxing break.

Rule # 4

Well the mid-term elections are over and we can finally put an end to all the bickering and fighting, or can we? I don't care what side of the aisle you may be on, I think we all agree that the fighting, bullying and hate, has to stop. I believe our country is to good for all the violence and craziness that is going on from both political parties. Most of us who have lived a long time certainly remember political ads that tore into each other or candidates that debated each other by slinging mud. However, it seems to be getting worse each election. We are seeing violence to a whole different level and acts that are outright disgraceful. The question then becomes, what can we do about it?

As I said earlier, we have a great country and some great people living in it. As we reflect back on loved ones this Veterans day, we can see all the great sacrifices so many have made for this country. So many brave soldiers both past and future. However, I am fearful for my grandchild's future, for the future of all our young students here at Vantage. I started to ask myself, how did we get to this point and what can we do about it?

One of the things I like to tell the student's that come and see me about so many different problems going on in their life is, "don't look at all the problems at once, break them down into smaller chunks and let's attack the smaller pieces first". I use the example of eating an elephant; how do you ever eat an elephant? One bite at a time. So how do we attack this problem with society and political discourse that seems so big to us? We attack it by starting small.

I have mentioned Ron Clark's book before, which is "The essential 55". These are basically 55 rules that Ron Clark believes would make every student successful if they followed them. I was looking them over and thought if all of us could just use Rule # 4, "Respect other students' comments, opinions, and ideas", then we would have a great start at attacking this problem we are seeing in our society today. We certainly don't have to agree with every thought and idea that someone else has but we should listen to the other person, engage in civil dialogue and then move on.

I'm not saying I have the answer to today's anger and rage in politics. However, if we can start practicing Rule # 4 at a basic level like our classroom, place of work, or at home, then I believe we would be off to a great start. Imagine having a healthy discussion, sharing ideas, debating certain issues, and then walking away with both sides feeling respected and heard. That is what made this country so great and maybe it is the first baby step to improving what we are seeing today.

I said I worry about the future for our children but at the same time, I see so much good from our youth and staff here at Vantage. This Saturday is Veteran's Day and I am proud of the service time that Mr. Darrell Miller, Mr. Larry Regedanz and Mrs Amy Grothouse have given for this country. If there are others here at Vantage, I am sorry I missed you. These are the one's I know for sure. I also am so very proud of the students here at Vantage who have enlisted and will be serving our country after graduation. I know Austin Weyrauch and Bryce Slattman have already signed up and have gone through their MEPS training. They will be leaving for basic this summer. I can't tell you how proud I am of both of you and thank you for your service. Finally, to all of you who served and will serve, thank you for your service and your dedication to keeping this country safe. Let's all work together on Rule # 4 and see if we can make a difference.

The Book Fair Is Coming!

I don't know how familiar you may be with the movie "Elf", but one of the funny scenes in the movie is while Elf is working at Gimbels department store. The manager announces that they need to clean up the store because "Santa will be here tomorrow". Well Elf gets so excited and starts running around yelling "Santa is coming, Santa is coming". Well, that is  how I get when Mrs. Knodel announces that the "Book Fair is Coming!". I guess I just love to read and feel I can't have enough books (although my wife thinks I have way too many books already).

Well, in case you haven't heard, the book fair is coming to Vantage very soon. The book fair will start on November 30th and continue until December 7th. This is such a great deal for all our staff and students. You will receive 30% off and there is no tax. If there is a certain book you want, just let Mrs. Knodel know and she will order it for you. Books make great gifts for the Christmas season and they are great to cozy up with next to a warm fire during these long winter months. If there are any books you want to order, please let Mrs. Knodel know by Monday, November 19th.

While I am on the topic of the media center, I just want to add a few comments while I have your attention. I hope everyone takes advantage of our media center. I haven't been to a lot of libraries in the local schools in this area, but I truly believe this has to be one of the best around. I have spoken with substitute teachers that have been in our school and they agree. Mrs Knodel does such an awesome job constantly changing things up and making the media center attractive and interesting for our students.

Recently, I was speaking to Mrs Knodel and found out that she will be hosting several different clubs in the media center this year. If you are interested in finding out the types of clubs or the dates and times, please see Mrs. Knodel. Once again, we have an awesome resource right here at Vantage Career Center. As a counselor, what I like about the media center is that if a student doesn't want to sit in the cafeteria during lunch, and they are looking for a quiet place to get away or read, then the media center is open to them. I have seen students go into the media center at lunch and end up meeting friends that share the same interests. It could be in the type of books they read or maybe they enjoy playing chess or checkers. This is a safe place that just gives our students another option so that they can feel at home. Thanks Mrs. Knodel for all you do.

End of 1st Quarter

Today marked the end of the first quarter.  This is an important point for you to pause and reflect.  Remember, quarter grades are not included on your transcript - just semester grades. But this means that you have reached the half-way point in earning the grades that will be on your transcript. 

Some of the questions you should ask yourself include: Are you where you want to be?  If you are not, what do you need to do different to turn things around?  If you need ideas for how you can improve your grades, I strongly encourage you to meet individually with your teacher.  You should also take advantage of the help available from the academic assistants in the Resource room.  You are also welcome to stop by and talk to me and we can try to brainstorm some ideas to help.  If you are happy with your current progress, congratulations!  Make sure you think about what you have done that has been helpful to your success and continue to put forward those same actions.

Also, a reminder to you and your parents/guardians - report cards are not printed and sent home - you will be able to access your report cards on Progress Book next Wednesday.

We have also started to fill in our time slots for Parent-Teacher conferences. The conferences are Monday, November 19th (4:00 pm - 8:00 pm) and  Tuesday, November 20th (8:00 am - 6:00 pm). You can call Mrs. Yearling at extension 2126 to set up your appointment. Remember, we encourage the students to come with the parents/guardians.

Wise Communication

I read an interesting article the other day regarding communication. The author, Curtis Chandler, spoke about students who can text but struggle to talk. They have hundreds of conversations throughout the week but mostly through texts and not face-to-face. Paul Barnwell, an education writer for the Atlantic, said...

"Is there a 21st century skill more important than being able to sustain confident, coherent conversation?...Kids spend hours each day engaging with ideas and one another through screens-but rarely do they have an opportunity to truly hone their interpersonal communication skills. When students apply for colleges and jobs, they won't conduct interviews through their smartphones. If the majority of their conversations are based on fragments pin-balled back and forth through a screen, how will they develop the ability to truly communicate in person?"

Albert Mehrabian, a UCLA professor, found that 58 percent of communication is through body language, 35 percent through vocal tone, pitch, and emphasis, and a mere seven percent through content of the message (Mehrabian, 2008). The article stated that "a student whose social skill set is limited to the use of their phone has roughly seven percent of what they need to be an effective communicator."

So, the question arises, what do we do about it? I feel that at Vantage Career Center, our teachers, staff and administrators do an outstanding job of getting our students working on these skills. When I have the opportunity to visit the classrooms and labs, I am witness to several different approaches to improving the students communication skills. I have seen Socratic seminars led by students, small groups designing and building bridges and communicating their ideas with their group members. Visit any of our labs and you will see students working together on engines, design projects, health screenings and check-offs or participating together in physical training for the police academy. If you stop and listen, you will hear leaders communicating ideas, team members putting forth their ideas in a convincing way and others observing and communicating non-verbally. Just this week, we will have eight students being interviewed by a large local company in anticipation of the five job openings they currently have. These interviews are common around here and the administration makes sure they are prepared by sometimes practicing over and over with the students. In the spring, we set aside an entire day for employers to come in and practice "mock interviews" with all our seniors.

I am proud of our school as we prepare our students for their next step into the real world. I know there is always room for improvement but I also believe our staff is looking ahead and understanding  what it will take to make our students employable and great communicators, whether in the college classroom or in the work force.  There is a famous quote about communication, it states "Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something..." I know we are turning out "wise" students who will always have something to say and will make this world a better place if we just listen.

National Technical Honor Society 2018-2019

On Tuesday evening, October 3rd, Vantage Career Center held our annual National Technical Honor Society banquet and induction ceremony. The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is a way to honor student achievement and leadership in career and technical education, promote educational excellence, award scholarships and enhance career opportunities for the NTHS membership.

To become an NTHS member, a student must first be carrying a 3.5 GPA or above, have 95% attendance for their Junior and Senior years, no discipline problems in both years and have passed all of their End of Course Exams. If the student meets the above mentioned criteria, then they must write an essay stating why they feel they belong in the NTHS, have three teacher recommendations, submit a resume and complete their application. Once all of this is turned in, a committee of teachers and staff meet to discuss each candidate and determine which students best represent the National Technical Honor Society.

As a member of the National Technical Honor Society, each member has met the seven character attributes, and at the induction ceremony, vowed to continue these attributes. They are: Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, Leadership, Citizenship and Scholarship.

I am so proud of these students because they have made so many great choices in their lives. They not only have been successful here at Vantage and their home school, but I know they will be successful in their future college or work careers. If you happen to see these students in the hallway, in your classes, or in the community, please congratulate them on a great high school career and a great honor in being selected for the National Technical Honor Society. This is a very small percentage of our student body, but they truly are the best of the best.

These are the NTHS members for 2018-2019:

Samantha Backus (Kalida), Lexie Beckman (Paulding), Tyler Birr (Ottoville), Hailey Brenneman (Delphos Jefferson), Ethan Brown (Van Wert), Lindsey Core (Ft. Jennings), Levi Craig (Antwerp), Casey Etter (Continental), Braden Evans (Antwerp), Ethan Geise (Ottoville), Kaileigh Gentry (Van Wert), Kaitlin Hamp (Delphos Jefferson), Clay Herr (Paulding), Lindsey Hill (Van Wert), Connor Hoersten (Ft. Jennings), Madeline Jenkins (Lincolnview), Dylan Kemper (Ottoville), Ashley McCleese (Continental), Jacob McClure (Delphos Jefferson), Haley Pastor (Wayne Trace), Dakota Rosselit (Kalida), Delaney Ryan (Van Wert), Dante Sampson (Delphos Jefferson), Tegan Schroeder (Miller City), Bryce Slattman (Continental), Sarah Stetler (Parkway), Zach Stevens (Van Wert), Jared Sukup (Antwerp), Joshua Sukup (Antwerp), Elizabeth Temple (Paulding), Calob Thomas (Parkway), Trent Vonderwell (Delphos St. John), 

Austin Weyrauch (Ft. Jennings), Deberah Wilson (Crestview)

P.S. I would also like to congratulate Alaina Ellis on her Honorary Membership into the National Technical Honor Society. Alaina works so hard gathering information for NTHS and putting in all the hard work so that the banquet is such a great success. Thanks Alaina!

College Night 2018

What an awesome night we had here at Vantage this evening. We had our annual College Night and there were at least 48 colleges in attendance. As you can tell from the picture, many students, parents and friends came out to gather information from the various colleges and to speak with the representatives who were here in attendance. This is a tremendous way to help the students make a better and more informed decision regarding their college choice.

Now if you were one of the fortunate students who attended this event tonight, you may be asking "Well what's next?". That is a great question. While you were at the event, some of the colleges may have asked you to fill out an information card if you showed them some interest. If you filled out any cards, then you can expect to hear from them very soon. I also suggest that if you have an interest in a certain college, you should contact them as soon as possible and let them know you spoke with a representative at College night. This would be the time that you also set up a visit. Remember, you have two college visits every year that are not counted against your attendance. After visiting the colleges of your choice, it is then time to make your decision.

If you have decided on a certain college, then immediately fill out their application (be sure to check for deadlines). After you have been accepted, you should be constantly checking your college email that they set up for you. They will be sending you information that sometimes you need to immediately respond to. Again, don't miss any deadlines. The next step would be to fill out your FAFSA, this is your Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You must fill this out if you are attending a college or university. You can not fill out the FAFSA until October 1st. I will be putting on a Financial Aid presentation sometime next week to any interested seniors. If you are interested, please sign up in the student services office. Finally, start filling out scholarships. Please visit our scholarship page located under student services on our website and begin filling out as many scholarships that pertain to you.

As always, if you have any questions on the college process, please stop in and see either Mrs. McConahay or myself in student services.

Food Drive Blitz

The food drive blitz is something we do around Vantage every year at this time but some of our juniors may not be aware of what it is all about. This year the food drive blitz will be held on September 28, 2018 here at Vantage. This is all put together under the direction of Ms. Diane Font and her Medical Office students. The purpose of the food drive is to collect food and other items that we can distribute to the United Way and their annual "Day of Caring". The United Way does so much for our community and for the people of Van Wert. Vantage is proud to be able to have this one day where we really focus on helping out our friends and neighbors. Vantage has always done a fantastic job on collecting items for this drive, and I don't expect this year to be any different. Some of the items that are needed include: Deodorant, Shampoo, Dish Soap, Feminine Products, Laundry Detergent and Toilet Paper. We have posted around the school a complete list of items that are needed. If you have any questions, please see any Medical Office student or Ms. Font.

As I mentioned earlier, Vantage has always done a great job collecting a lot of items. As Ms. Font says, "Vantage students rock and we love our community". So please students, please try to bring something in on Friday, September 28th. Let's show the community how awesome we are! Also, don't forget that the lab with the most items brought in will win a pizza party. Now how awesome is that going to be.

If you are interested in finding out more about our local United Way and what they do around our community, I have attached the link to a short video. While watching the video, please notice two of Vantage's finest: Casey and Hailey. They did a fantastic job in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKJbDQT6ogM&authuser=0

Thank you Ms. Font and the entire Medical Office students. You make all of this happen.

Student Appreciation Day

Tomorrow, September 14th is our Student Appreciation Day. This is such an exciting day around campus with so many activities going on in the afternoon. Vantage has always used this day to let our students know how much we appreciate them and the fact that they chose Vantage Career Center for their final two years of school. I truly hope that each student here has felt that they are really appreciated by all of our faculty and staff. As I have said before, we realize how hard this was for so many of you to leave familiar and comfortable situations at your home school and select Vantage for your final years of high school.

Just last week I wrote about our fall sports spirit day. It was amazing to see all the athletes that have decided to come to Vantage and still stay active at their home school. I know that is truly a commitment on your part. We appreciate it! The students who spoke with me the first week of school who were scared and were thinking about going back but hung in there and now are enjoying everyday. We appreciate it! The students who switched labs because their first choice wasn't exactly what they were looking for, but they still wanted to stay here at Vantage, so they chose another lab. We appreciate it! I hope you get the message I am conveying. We appreciate each and everyone of you for choosing Vantage. We promise to make your stay here rewarding. If you show up everyday and work hard, you will have an awesome experience.

Like I said earlier, tomorrow will be a busy day. The events will take place shortly after lunch and it looks to be a beautiful day. I always enjoy the car & truck show and look forward to that. We will have refreshments, corn hole, climbing wall, photo booth, bungee run, cards, chess, checkers, Wii dance, wacky trikes, music and more. Please be kind and courteous during this time and enjoy every bit of the entertainment. This is an event that Mrs. Owens and the student ambassadors and other staff have worked very hard to put together. I hope you meet new friends, talk with staff and understand that we are grateful that you chose Vantage. Thanks so much and enjoy!

Fall Sports At Vantage

Today we celebrated our fall sport athletes. This is a tradition we have done around Vantage for quite some time now. We ask all students who participate in any fall sport at their home school to wear their jerseys during the school day. Mrs. Owens also invites them all down to the commons area for a group picture. As you can see by today's picture, we have quite a large group of athletes that attend Vantage Career Center this year. We had over 60 student athletes that showed up for the picture and we know there are others who may be at the fair. What a tremendous group of students and athletes. We are so proud of all of you here at Vantage and can't thank you enough for making the choice to come to Vantage.

I know that every staff member is so proud of all of you and we wish you the best throughout this fall season. I was a coach for baseball for ten years and I know the commitment it takes to play in any sport while in school. You are in school until 2:40 and then head right to practice at your school and usually don't get home until after 6:00 pm. There are many long hot days during the months preceding the season and many days during the season where temperatures are in the 90's. This says a lot about all of you as individuals and as students. Your dedication and commitment to what you do will go along way, not only on the field but also in life. Personally I want to thank all of you for attending Vantage and showing other students at your home school that if they play sports, they can also chose Vantage for their Junior and Senior years. Good luck to all of you this weekend and the rest of your season. Enjoy the day off this Monday as we celebrate Labor Day.

Busy As A Bee

First of all I would like to say a great big welcome back to all the Seniors this year and also welcome to the new Juniors. We are so excited to have such a large class coming in this year along with a large number of Seniors back from last year. I believe as of today (Thursday) we had about 463 total students in our building. That is the most in quite a few years. Mr. Darrell Miller and I have been holding our orientation meetings for the Seniors and on Friday we will be speaking to the Juniors. I believe everyone is starting to find their way around the building and getting to most of their classes on time. As always, I want to thank all of the Juniors for stepping out of your comfort zone and choosing Vantage for your final two years. I also would like to thank all the parents who supported your child when they chose to come here. I promise you that you will not be disappointed. Career Tech is the hottest topic right now and there seems to be a lot more jobs than there are workers. We will do our very best to steer your child into the career of their choice or into a college or university that will help them further their talents.

Well needless to say, the first week has really been hectic around student services as we bring in new students everyday, revise schedules, change program labs for some and try to inform teachers of all the changes to their rosters. Someone mentioned this week that we have been busy as a bee and I had to laugh. I don't know if many of you know this but my wife and I are beekeepers. We have three hives right now, which is about 300,000 bees swarming around. One thing I really realized since we have gotten into this hobby is that bees are really, really busy. Did you know that a honey bee will travel 500 miles in its lifetime. And the worker bee only lives for about six weeks. One honey bee will produce about 1/12 of a teaspoon in its lifetime. The honeybee forager is constantly going back and forth from the flowers to the hive all day long, traveling in a 3 mile diameter. Okay, sorry for all the honeybee facts but I thought maybe our busyness at school would relate to my hobby and let you see how crazy it has been around here.

I don't think the busyness is going to stop either. I received an email from Mrs. Owens (who replaced the retired Mrs. Wilhelm) the other day and she listed all the upcoming events just in the next few weeks. There are several parades coming up so I hope you will look for our Vantage vehicle and staff members and of course our student ambassadors. I believe the Ottoville parade is September 2nd and Kalida parade is September 9th. Picture day for all students and staff is on September 12th and then the big day, Student Appreciation day will be September 14th. Delphos Canal days parade is on the 16th and our big college night here at Vantage is on the 26th from 6:30 until 8:00. Finally on the 28th of September, we have our United Way Day of Caring blood drive and food drive blitz. WOW!

Like I told you, we have an awful lot going on in the month of September. I hope all of you are excited and ready for it. We are certainly going to be as busy as bees but I am sure we will produce a lot of "honey". Thanks and have a great year.

Farewell Class of 2018

My Wish

As the school year is winding down, I don't want to miss the opportunity to say goodbye to the graduating class of 2018. In just a few short days the seniors will be on their way and beginning an entire new chapter in their life. At the end of the year I like to include the words to one of my favorite songs, "MY WISH" by Rascal Flatts. The song was written and released in 2006 and I have always thought it had the perfect words to say to the students leaving Vantage. If you get a chance, go to YouTube and listen to it, you will enjoy. The song starts out by saying...

   "I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow, and each road leads you where you wanna go, and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose, I hope you choose the one that means the most to you. And if one door opens to another door closed, I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window, if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile. But more than anything, more than anything... My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can haul, and while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this is my wish".

As the words say, I really do hope you enjoy life, take it one day at a time and don't get upset by some of the little things you will face. I hope you never give up when you run into trouble. Please don't give up on your dreams, use them as motivation. I also want you to know that wherever you end up or whatever you end up doing, I do care for you and I do want the same thing for you. My door is always open after you leave. Feel free to call or email me anytime. I welcome it.

   "I hope you never look back, but you never forget, All the ones who love you, in the place you live, I hope you always forgive, and you never regret, And you help somebody every chance you get. Oh you find God's grace in every mistake, and always give more than you take".

Some pretty simple rules that will help you as you head out into the "real world". Don't hold on to grudges or hold on to your anger just because someone may have made you upset. You will find that when you forgive, you will be released and set free from an invisible prison. You will be a better person because of it. Please continue to give back to the community in which you live. You will not believe how good it feels when you reach out and help someone. Many of you have volunteered while you were in school, keep it up every chance you get.

I know that some of you reading this may have been in my office because you were upset about a mistake you made or something you regretted doing. Remember that I have always told you that you learn from your mistakes. We all make them but it is the mature person who learns from it and grows as a person. Hold on to this bit of advice and don't forget it. I guarantee you will need it again some time in the future. We all make mistakes. Finally as the lyrics above started out with, I hope you never forget. Come back and visit us or send us a quick e-mail to let us know how you are doing.

So there it is, my wish for all of you seniors who are leaving us in a few short days. I thank you for trusting me with your friendship, your troubles and your last two years of high school. Good luck in all you do. As for all my other readers, this is my final blog of the school year. Thanks as always for reading the blog, the kind comments and the inspiration. Have a great summer!

One To Go

As I was standing at my "post" this morning saying good morning to all the students as they entered the school, Mr. Matt Miller mentioned to me that we only had one full week of school left this year. I was really surprised by this probably because I just hadn't thought about it. However, that is the truth. We only have next week and then the following week our Seniors will be having their award ceremony on Friday morning (May 18th @ 9:30). Matt and I discussed how the end of the year really crept up on us. We realize that every year seems to go really fast once the calendar hits April but why was this year feeling so different. I think the big thing has to be the weather. It seems like we had snow about a week or two ago and we were just waiting for Spring to get here. When the nicer weather arrives each year, we know that we have about a month of school left or close to it. Well this is really the first nice week of warm weather and we look at the calendar and see that we have just ten days of school remaining.

So with that said, the seniors will be getting really busy working on their portfolios, finishing up exams and finalizing all their graduation plans. I know some of you may be thinking that May 18th can't get here quick enough, but I hope that you will take some time and really think about the last 12 years of school, your accomplishments, all your friends and the many memories you made. Take time to reflect about where you are now compared to your freshman year. Reflect on where you are heading in the next stage of your life. I hope you have certain goals set as to where you want to be in four years or maybe ten. Setting goals is a great way for you to keep yourself focused. Goals are something that can drive you to be a better person and work harder.

I hope that all of you will finish strong and work hard on your final projects or final exams. Those can be the difference between pass and fail. Now is not the time to quit. You don't run a race just to come up a little short. Finish the race strong and bust through the finish line with your arms raised high and shouting "I DID IT". All of you should be proud of your accomplishments and the fact that you are graduating in two short weeks. I hope you will stop by my office one more time to chat, say hello or just talk about your future plans (and let me know of any scholarships you have received). The next two weeks will go fast, trust me. Find time to enjoy it and chat with your favorite teacher or staff member. Remember, time flies when you are having fun.

Self Reliant

On Wednesday night the R.K. Thompson finalist were treated to a great dinner honoring this area's most self-reliant high school seniors. This is the 48th year for the R.K.Thompson program which provides cash awards for the High School Seniors in Van Wert County who best exhibit the trait of self-reliance. This award is designed to seek out and honor the Senior's who "Do the best with what they have" whether he/she is a scholar, an athlete, a student leader or a youth who must seek employment to help their family meet expenses. Merriam-Webster describes self-reliant as "having confidence in and exercising one's own powers or judgement".

I have always felt that the R.K. Thompson award finalist were students who you can count on to do anything you ask of them and knowing that they will do it above and beyond what you have asked them to do. They may or may not have had struggles but they do rely on their own resources rather than others. It was said last night about one of the Vantage students, Nathan O'Neill, that if you see his hand out, it is because he is helping someone else.

Vantage Career Center was honored to have three of the ten finalist. They are Josh England (Lincolnview), Hayley Kuhlman (Van Wert) and Nathan O'Neill (Lincolnview). I am so proud of each of these three finalist and all that they have done in their two years at Vantage. I believe anyone reading this would be proud to have these students as their sons or daughter. They are outstanding in every way. They are excellent students, pleasant personalities, hard workers and more than willing to volunteer whenever asked.

Thank you Hayley, Josh and Nathan. I hope you realize what an awesome accomplishment this is and that the entire Vantage community is so proud of you. In a few short weeks, you will be moving on with the rest of your lives. We wish you the best and we want you to know that you will be missed. Thanks for everything!

SENIORITIS

I am starting to hear the familiar sounds of "senioritis" around the school and cafeteria.  While I understand that it can be a challenge to continue motivating yourself to finish your high school career strong, it is important that you do finish strong!

With Seniors only having 5 Mondays of high school left, the appeal of letting everything slide to just enjoy the remaining time seems to be very strong. I even have Juniors who are claiming to have “senioritis” early and this is definitely not a good thing.

Third quarter grades were rough (to say the least). This is particularly a concern for seniors as it can jeopardize graduation (a real fear for many) and it can also jeopardize your college future. For example, remember, the colleges reserve the right to revoke your acceptance if the grades you are earning are not on pace with what they expected at the time of your application. They can also place you on academic probation and take back scholarship offers. Obviously, these would not be good scenarios, but it does happen every year.

So, while the weather is finally improving, and we all have that desire to get outside, the upcoming weeks may make it hard to focus on the day to day responsibilities of meeting your classroom expectations. Please keep pushing to work hard in your classes and finish the race strong!

Digital Footprint & College Admissions

Today we had a speaker, Jerry Ackerman, who spoke to our students about social media and the impact it can have on our personal and social life. As a school community there has been a significant amount of time and emphasis encouraging students to be smart about your digital footprint - the information that you are posting and sharing through various social media outlets. As a component of that, we have often mentioned that the internet and social media can impact your college admissions, scholarship offerings or even various job offerings. Below are a few articles that speak to this: 

Do colleges look at prospective students' social media?

Colleges shift to using "big data" - including social media in admissions decisions

How Social Media can Ruin Your Application

College Admissions: Social Media Tune Up

Colleges are spying on applicants by quietly tracking them across the internet.


Number of Employees Passing On Applicants Due To Social Media Posts.


This is a perfect time to pause and critically look at your digital footprint and consider what it is saying about you and the impression you are giving to future college admissions officers, scholarship committee members, and potential employers. Please make smart choices about what you post online.
Thanks Jerry for a great message for our young students.

Flap Jack Friday

Well Friday marks the end of the 3rd quarter. As the old saying goes, time flies when you are having fun. I guess there is a lot of truth in that statement especially around here at Vantage. I have spoken with so many of our students lately and I like asking them if they are glad they chose Vantage. I have never gotten a negative response. They use various responses like "I feel treated like an adult here" or "I just really love my lab", but the one I hear most often is "it is fun here". I often ask them what they mean by that and they tell me that they just really enjoy being in lab for a half day. They also state because they are in lab for a half day, it makes going to academics so much easier. Of course the students love their lab but I also see so many academic classes having fun. I see students out in the hallways measuring objects or their stride lengths. I see them flying paper airplanes for science. We just completed our numeracy challenge a week or two ago and will be sending several students to the next level for that competition. I know in Science they will begin their "roller coaster" construction very soon (just look at all the cardboard in Mr. Joyce's classroom). If you haven't seen this before, you should really stop in Mr. Joyce's class while that is going on. Talk about fun! WOW! Combining academics and fun to make a great learning experience. What a novel idea. I think that says a lot about our lab instructors and our academic teachers. Thanks for engaging our students and challenging them to go above and beyond what they think they can do.

This Friday we will also be celebrating the end of the third quarter and saying thanks to all our students and staff. There will be a free breakfast starting at 7:30 am. Several of our staff members will be flipping pancakes and cooking sausage in the wee hours of the morning. I hope students will try to get here early and mingle with the staff and enjoy a nice breakfast. I want to thank Gail Gillett for organizing all of this and for the staff who have volunteered to help.

For those students who may have seen their grades drop a little during the third quarter, now is the time to get it in gear. There are only 42 days left for the seniors. If you are in danger of not passing a class, now is the time to put in the extra effort and work hard. This is not the time to have "senioritis". For all the students, these next 42 days will fly by. Make the most out of these days. Work hard, earn good grades and most of all have fun while you are learning. I hope to see everyone tomorrow morning at the pancake breakfast.

One Of A Kind

It is with a sad heart that all of us at Vantage Career Center have to say good-bye to Mrs. Mary Jo Wilhelm as she will be leaving us at the end of the school year to begin a well deserved retirement. I have worked at a lot of places throughout my career and I have met a lot of people. I have also been through a lot of retirements and people leaving for other jobs. One of the first statements that usually comes up is "they are going to be really hard to replace". I have learned over the years that most people can be replaced and the business does quite well even without them. When I left the engineering firm that I was at, I was serving as Vice-President/General Manager. I humbly admit that at the time I thought "I sure hope they will be okay without me". Well they made it quite fine and ended up going global. So much for getting a big head. However, when I say this about Mary Jo, I truly mean it and believe in my heart that she will be tough to replace. I realize someone will come along and they will do an awesome job and we will welcome them. Mary Jo however is a different type employee. Mary Jo truly gives 100% of herself to her job and has always loved what she was doing.

Just a sample of some of the things that Mary Jo has done for Vantage over the years. Mary Jo is the first contact for any outside people that visit Vantage. She is the person who sends out all the messages on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. She alerts all of us about school delays, cancellations, special meetings and any other important issues. Our levies have passed because the people believe in our school and have seen results, a lot of this is because of the hard work and effort Mary Jo has put into it. She keeps a large part of our web page updated. Mary Jo has to contact all the newspapers and inform them of activities and special events that are going on here at Vantage. She runs the open house every year, student orientations, ice cream socials, student ambassadors, a big part of the graduation ceremony and is involved in the FFA banquet and NTHS banquet. This is just a small part of her duties and she will be the first to tell you that she gets a lot of help (thanks Annette). It's not just that she does so much around here but the fact that she does it with such a big heart. Whenever she puts a picture of an event in the newspaper, she makes sure that whatever town the newspaper is in, that there are students from that home school in the picture. A little detail but it is important to Mary Jo. When we have dignitaries from Columbus visit the school she makes sure Vantage is looking in top notch shape and we are all at our best. It's important to her that her "family and home" look great to all who visit. I think the way Mary Jo looked at Vantage is about the same way my mom, and yours, looked at their family. Our parents were proud to pull out the wallet or purse and show pictures of how the children have grown and brag about them a little bit. Well Mary Jo liked to show how much Vantage has grown and brag on our school also.

I envy Mary Jo a little bit now. She is going into retirement at a time in her life when she knows it is the right thing to do. She will spend time with her beautiful grandchildren, children and even put up with John a little more. I will miss the many conversations that we have had over the years. The many "counseling sessions" when we both needed to let off some steam or discuss family issues.

Yes they will find someone to sit in your chair and perform your duties but you will never be replaced. You are truly one of a kind Mary Jo and I will miss you. Thanks for all you have done and for making Vantage a better place to work. Keep in touch and God Bless.

Living The Dream

For those of you that read this post on a regular basis, you will know that I like country music and I find a lot of inspiration for my blog through country music. One thing that you may not be aware of is the fact that Mr. Van Oss also shares my love of country music. On several occasions we will mention a new song we heard and see what the other person thinks about it. Well not long ago, I received a text message from Mr, Van Oss asking me to listen to a new song by Luke Bryan called "Most People Are Good". I would hope that even if you are not a fan of country music, that you would listen or watch this one on YouTube.

There are so many great lyrics but I really want to highlight a couple that stood out to me. The song starts out with "I believe kids oughta stay kids as long as they can. Turn off the screen, go climb a tree, get dirt on their hands." How true is that statement. The number of students I see that deal with stress and anxiety continues to grow. I believe that most of the time it is because these students end up having to deal with adult issues and adult problems when they are just sixteen and seventeen. I truly wish they wouldn't have to worry about parents, helping pay the rent, working right after school until 11:00 pm or where their next meal is coming from. I wish they could just be kids.

Another lyric that rings really true for today is "I believe if you just go by the nightly news, Your faith in all mankind would be the first thing you lose." How true is that. It is easy to get so caught up in today's headlines that we forget to look around and see the really great things happening. Like the saying goes, "stop and smell the roses".

The chorus throughout the song says "I believe most people are good, and most Mama's oughta qualify for sainthood...I believe this world ain't half as bad as it looks, I believe most people are good." My wish is that you would not focus so much on all the trouble talked about daily in the news and take a good look around you. Take a look at the people you go to school with, the people you work with and the people you hang around with. I think you would agree that most people are good. They want the same thing you want out of life. A good day, a good laugh, maybe a tear every once in awhile and certainly good friends.

Lately I have spent a lot of time looking around and noticing that I am surrounded by some really good people. Talking with Mr. Joyce the other day we both came to that same agreement and we agreed that working at Vantage is almost like we are "living the dream".

You Deserve Better

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Teen DV Month (sometimes called TDVAM) is a national effort to raise awareness about abuse in teen and 20-something relationships and promote programs that prevent it. I realize we are getting close to Valentines day and people think about romance and love but it is also a good time to talk about the other side of that coin.

Most people have their first relationship while in high school or college. It's new, exciting, thrilling and sometimes sexual. Unfortunately, this can also be some of the most dangerous times in a woman's life. Women ages 16 - 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence. In fact, nearly 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year and more than half of the women who are raped are under the age of 18. Dating violence is the use of power and control over one individual by someone who is supposed to care about him or her. Dating violence is not only just physical, but can also be emotional and psychological abuse and include behaviors such as stalking, isolation of friends and family and being possessive.  Since this is often their first love or serious relationship, many young people may not know the red flags or identify problematic behaviors.

According to the Project Aware Ohio website, 1 in 3 teens has been a victim of dating violence and about 1 in 3 has committed relationship violence. 9.6% of high school students in a dating relationship have been physically hurt on purpose (being hit, slammed into something, or injured with an object or weapon) by a boyfriend or girlfriend. 10.6% of high school students in a dating relationship have been forced to do sexual things by a boyfriend or girlfriend. I think it is important that you realize that teen dating violence is not just hitting but also includes controlling another person. If your dating partner will not let you hang out with your friends, if they call or text you constantly to find out where you are, if they tell you what to wear, or if they want you to be with them at all times, then these are signs of controlling behavior. Do not settle for this.

The sad part about teen dating violence is that only 33% of teens who were in an abusive relationship ever told anyone about the abuse. It is time to end the silence on dating violence. Please speak up if you see one of your friends in a violent relationship. Please come see me if you are in that type of relationship, or if you aren't sure but have concerns. There is help and I want to help you. You do not need to take this abuse. Help a friend before it is to late and remember once is too many times. You deserve better than this.

Don't Forget to Stretch

I heard an interesting comment the other day and I found it not only interesting but also that it really pertained to the students here at Vantage. The gentleman was describing that we should live our lives similar to that of a rubber band. Instantly I was intrigued as he began to explain what he meant. He said that a rubber band is not designed to function when it is just sitting there. It is never being used for its true purpose until it is stretched. I have seen some amazing things from our students when they truly "stretch" themselves. I have watched students who were afraid to speak in public do an amazing job when they got up in front of a classroom. Every year at graduation I watch as students give a wonderful farewell speech to their classmates, but only weeks before they said they could never get up on stage and speak. I also have been witness to several students over the years who never dreamed they could compete at the Skills USA contest, only to go on and win the entire competition.

The point I am trying to make is that everyone of these students had to get out of their comfort zone and, like a rubber band, stretch themselves. I also believe that we were not created to be complacent in our everyday life. I feel we need to get out of our comfort zone and experience new things. We were designed for so much more but we will never know how much we are capable of until we stretch ourselves. It doesn't have to be something big like moving to another country after graduation (although it could be) or wanting to go skydiving (not a chance I would do that). It could be something simple like sitting down at a lunch table with someone who is alone. Introducing yourself to a new student that you haven't met yet. There are several opportunities in your labs and in the classroom where you could do something you never saw yourself doing. How about signing up for the Poetry Out Loud contest or volunteering to represent your lab at BPA or Skills USA?

I hope you will think about stretching yourself. Maybe the next time a teacher asks for a volunteer to do something that you never saw yourself doing before, you will go ahead and raise your hand. If you feel uncomfortable, awkward or strange doing this then that is a good thing. You are growing and becoming all that you were meant to be. Well as we start our second semester, I hope you will work hard and finish strong this year. The rest of this school year will fly by and before you know it the seniors will be graduating. Remember it is not a sprint but a marathon, don't forget to stretch.