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Above: Elizabeth Horner makes a “pinky” promise to “do her best” to Bob
Robinson (left) and Delbert Blickenstaff, Senior Scribes Scholarship
Fund Members, as she accepts the Bistro Off Broadway Scholarship for
Academic Excellence and Community Service.
Below: Jenna Dowler had no idea that she was going to be awarded the
Dave Knapp Ford Scholarship for Sports & Academic Excellence and
Community Service. This was her reaction as CNO Sports Editor George
Stark made the announcement to her and the guests at her graduation
party.
So many talents
in so many areas
Even ‘The Old Man’ can learn something new…
That’s My Opinion
By Bob Robinson
Editor
I’ve been privileged in my personal and professional life. Not many
people can say they have two great families, some good friends, a wide
range of experiences, retired from a job he loved only to replace it
with another “job” he loves and the unique experience of sharing his
knowledge (and the mistakes to avoid) with younger generations.
Recently I attended two graduation parties. I’d had several
invitations, as I’d had in previous years, and to my disappointment and
embarrassment something had always come up that kept me from being
there.
While an apology was in order – given and accepted – it in no way
accorded the honor of achievement, recognition and congratulations
these kids had earned. I still felt bad.
Two, however, had been on my calendar for more than a month and I
wasn’t allowed to miss them because they went a step beyond a simple
handshake or hug and congratulations… they were to, in one case,
present a scholarship check and, in the other case, advise of one
coming.
County News Online has been growing rapidly, both in readership and in
the willingness of businesses to dig deep into their pockets to provide
scholarship aid to students who had earned some “help and support” from
their community.
Their accomplishments were worthy of note and support. One was in
writing and community service; the other was in sports and community
service.
Last weekend, my Sports Editor George Starks and I had the pleasure of
surprising Jenna Dowler with a scholarship commitment from Dave Knapp
Ford. Dave Knapp will also be sponsoring a scholarship for a male
student yet to be named.
George knows Jenna best in the sports arena, easily conferring to her
the title of the “Backbone of the Girls Basketball Team” at Greenville
High School. The senior had provided solid, dependable leadership to
her team for three consecutive years.
I met Jenna when as a freshman she had won the Marksmanship contest and
earned the title of Miss Annie Oakley 2008. She was also an ardent
supporter of mine in my run for Darke County Commissioner in the summer
of 2009.
She, along with my wife Susan, Wayne Lakes Mayor Gary Young and other
friends and supporters jumped into the lake with me during a campaign
fundraiser. I nearly drowned – Susan “saved” me – but everyone else
made it fine… it was a great, fun event.
I’ve only seen Jenna a couple of times since then… like I said earlier,
she left my world and moved into George’s sports world.
The other student couldn’t have been more different, but her talent and
devotion to the community can’t be argued.
Elizabeth Horner and I go back eight years when she was the youngest
person ever to write a story by assignment for the front page of the
Daily Advocate.
I asked her to write an opinion piece about Independence Day and I’ve
been watching her grow into adulthood and mature in her writing almost
daily. She was the leader of my FunDay Bunch at the Advocate, started
her own Read to Succeed program for children, coached Greenville 7th
and 8th graders in two Power of the Pen Competitions, has written
extensively for our Teen Scribes page and become an internationally
recognized syndicated columnist and speaker.
I saw a lot of my “kids” walk their last walk into the high school gym
for Senior Sendoff, and then at graduation. Elizabeth was Salutatorian…
it was an honor to hear my name mentioned in her message to parents,
grandparents, friends and fellow graduating seniors.
She heads off to New York University and her freshman year in England
this August. She has been my adopted niece for years and, to this day,
I’m still her “Uncle Bob.”
Another young lady who has been in my life as long as Elizabeth has is
Ball State senior Jordan Pridemore. Jor was my original Teen Editor at
the Advocate, helped me through a tough time in my life and then became
a bridesmaid when Susan and I got married in 2007. We still meet as
often as our schedules allow.
Jor got interested in journalism through my mentorship but changed
gears at Ball State. She will graduate this December with two degrees,
one in English and one in English as a Second Language. She will go
into teaching in the spring.
Four other teens have had a tremendous impact on this old man… Kent
Holmes, a former Key Club president and sophomore at Ball State
University, Danielle Bankson, also a former Key Club president, Mariah
Reitz, graduating senior and former Ohio District Secretary, Key Club
International, and Naiesha Thobe, graduating senior and young writer
just testing her wings in the field she loves.
Pretty much like I did about 50 years ago.
There are so many more… Claire Sherman, Jessica Transue and others who
have taught me something as I was trying to teach them. I could easily
list a dozen more, including some in my classes at Edison and in Darke
County Schools, and still miss someone. So I’ll leave it at that.
So what was the purpose of all this? My point?
Darke County has produced some tremendous young talents over the years.
While Annie Oakley made her “mark” when she was in her 30s and 40s, she
was a burgeoning young talent in the late 1800’s.
These kids – all of them – are burgeoning young talents in many
different areas… I predict they WILL make their own marks over the next
decade or two.
They each – in their own way – have already taught me something,
proving once again that even The Old Man can still learn something new.
Watch. And be proud. While they did this on their own, it was your
community and their families that nurtured them and gave them the
confidence to go into the world and succeed!
That’s my opinion. What’s yours?
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