Some of my fondest memories from high school have nothing to do with a classroom activity or a test score. My recollections from typing class (yes, we had to take an actual typing class) were mind numbing! Days when we had to bring our grammar book to English class were pure torture, and if I think about Algebra class too hard I'm apt to break out in a cold sweat.
Anyway, I digress. What I do remember with a great deal of joy and nostalgia are those events that were, no doubt part of my formal public school education but took place outside the confines of a traditional classroom. Those things that drove to the heart of our culture as a small, proud school district. The adventures that embodied a positive climate. The trips to the Dome for the playoffs. I was in the band, so getting to play in the pep band at the Dome was an amazing experience. Same when it came to the state basketball tournament. In those days, it was at the 'Barn'. Many of you can probably remember Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, now a conference center connected to the 'Well'.
There were also the music concerts where I had a solo, contests on Saturdays that would take us to exotic locations for competition (like Roland Story), and early (and I mean early) practices in the fall preparing for All-State auditions. We had a great deal of fun, learning from our teachers, developing friendships, and really just getting to have the full small town experience. We watched our peers, the upperclassmen compete and perform, all while looking forward to the time when we would ascend to the spotlight. Hoping that we would live up to the expectations that had been set out for us. There is nothing quite like growing up in the comfort of small town Iowa.
And the support from the community! Few things compare to having a full auditorium for a concert of a play! Or a gym, jam packed with fans for a Friday night game. Or an article in the local newspaper highlighting your success on the stage or on the field.
That is the beauty of living in small town Iowa. In a lot of ways, State Center and Hudson are a lot alike. We understand the success of our students doesn't belong to those students alone. That success belongs to the entire community, and we beam with pride at their; at our collective accomplishments. These are our friends, our neighbors, and yes our students. I've watched some of these kids from the time they weren't even big enough to dribble a basketball. When singing was screaming. When they weren't old enough to tie their shoes, so they just ran around without them.
A couple of weeks ago we had our annual pops concert. We were treated to amazing performances from our junior high and high school bands. The junior high and high school choirs. It is neat to see the growth these students have made this school year and how far they have come. When I was a student in junior high, I was always in awe when the high school students would perform because it was so dang good! Hoping that I would one day have a chance to perform in those ensembles. Anyway, at the end of this particular concert the musical theater small group performed. (This wasn't a thing when I was in high school.) To say they were amazing almost sounds inadequate. They took my breath away. Of course they did: they were an All-State nominee.
This past weekend was our Spring play, 'Clue'. Sadly, I was unable to attend due to a personal scheduling conflict. I feel badly about it because I was so looking forward to seeing our students perform. But yet, they were not really performing for me. They were performing for themselves. They were performing for the entire community. From what I have heard it was spectacular. Indeed there was never any doubt. We have come to expect nothing less.
This week we have another opportunity to create those memories not only for ourselves, but for our entire community and the students we serve. Our boys basketball team will be making their first appearance in the state tournament in 30 years! 1994. Let the record reflect that I was a senior in college! I do hope you take advantage of the opportunity to join us in Des Moines to watch our team play. They most certainly are playing for themselves. But they are also playing for the name on the front of their jersey. They are playing for you. They are playing for the glory of their hometown.
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