Of Scientists and Educators

Clairton Successes

Clairton yields failures? Anybody who reads the paper or listens to the airwaves in the greater Pittsburgh area has heard it. Clairton is home to a bunch of losers. Being a minority in Clairton is a double whammy. That’s the way is it and that’s the way it always will be. No consideration is made for the young men on the two-time state championship football team who will go on to college and earn degrees. No consideration is made for the dozens of this year’s grads who will go on to community college, university, or other post-secondary schooling. Many would rather believe the stereotypes.

But suppose a poor minority lad was born and raised in the poorest section of town. Let’s further assume this lad’s parents had little schooling themselves. Say the kid was a good football layer AND a good student as well as a bit of a rabble rouser. You know the type. The kind of kid who, along with a few of his fellow jocks made trouble for the school administration and caused them to open up the cheerleading squad to all races. The administration would be happy when he graduated and took his football swagger to Washington and Jefferson.

But let’s say once he got to college and a coach wanted to put him into typical “jock” classes, he refused and instead demanded to take the most challenging courses that the “other kids” were taking. Maybe this type of student would return home during the summer and along with eight fellow students, press U.S. Steel for employment. Finally, this young man would graduate with honors and a stellar career on the field as well as in leadership roles in student government. Such a resume would make him a no-brainer to hire, one would think. He chose to be a scientist because he did not see other black scientists. Finding a company to hire him would prove to be daunting but he would persevere.

The year was 1932, the young man was Walter Cooper and in his own words, “I looked around and I saw black doctors, black lawyers, but no black scientists. I chose that as a challenge.” He went on to receive advanced degrees including a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Rochester in 1956 and was quickly snatched up by Eastman Kodak Company as a research scientist and continued to work there for the next thirty years, earning three patents and publishing many research documents.

Dr. Cooper not worked as a scientist by day but was also heavily involved in community development and civil rights issues, particular on those that involved educational opportunities and motivation. He saw business and enterprise as a means to achieve equal opportunity. His efforts earned him numerous awards including an honorary Doctorate from his alma mater, W&J. Just a few of his many honors and distinctions include serving as the Chairman of the Education Committee of the NAACP, Chairman of the Urban League’s education sub-committee, Board of Trustees at Washington and Jefferson, Regent of the State of New York, Board of Directors of the Genesee Hospital and Rochester General Hospital, and a list of other leadership roles and awards. Clairton High School should require the reading of Dr. Cooper’s papers mandatory reading. His oft-quoted comment, “Not to educate a child is the worst form of child abuse,” sums up Dr. Cooper’s philosophy. Dr. William Cooper, Clairton lad. But wait, there’s more, an elementary school was recently named in his honor and my best guess is that he is the only Clairtonian who has been named Chevalier of The Republic of Mali.

Another Clairton athlete: Dr. Cooper is not the only successful athlete to hail from Clairton. There have been legions of every race, color, gender, and creed. One such athlete is Nikki Soich, an accomplished equestrian and horse trainer whose horse recently participated in the Pan American games and is a contender to take part in the Olympics. Nikki Soich, Clairton lass.

Clairton Schools: A changing of the guard will occur in the Clairton schools. Superintendent Lucille Abellonio will retire from the district on June 29 after four decades in education. She became assistant superintendent of Clairton in 2007 and became superintendent a year later. Under her leadership about 34 percent of the district's students have met or exceeded state standards under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. She will be replaced by Wade Killmeyer, 53, area superintendent of Avella and former superintendent of Washington County. Killmeyer holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Duquesne University, a masters in secondary math from Slippery Rock University, a masters in English literature from the University of Maryland, a bachelor's in computer science and a bachelor's in math, both from the University of Pittsburgh.

Clairton passings: Among those Clairtonians who passed on this week are Frank Mincone, age 82, John Gimliano, 92, Raymond Sisco, 92, and John Hemenic, 92.
A little blogging music Maestro.... “Be True to Your School” by the Beachboys.


Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

You've gotta love Clairton!

First a word about the Clairton Bears…

Game # 7 - Brentwood: Thanks to the many readers who keep me apprised of Clairton area happenings, particularly Cal Sabo who is usually first with the Bear news. Last Friday the unbeaten Bears put their streak on the line against a strong 4-1 Brentwood team and quarterback Cory Bauer, one of WPIAL’s top rated passers. The result? The QB completed two of 16 passes for a total of minus two yards and four interceptions. The entire Brentwood team could not manage a single first down and ended the game with minus six yards total. So how did our lads do offensively? Josh Page, Desimon Green, Brandon Small and Tyler Boyd all scored touchdowns… BEFORE THE GAME WAS TEN MINUTES OLD!!! Boyd netted 106 yards and two touchdowns ON THREE CARRIES! The Bear defense forced turnovers on three of Brentwood’s first six plays. Final score: Clairton 52, Brentwood 0. For the season: Clairton 381, Opponents 12. The Brentwood coach shook his head and said, “I’ve never seen a team like that.”


There was one scary moment in the game when Pitt recruit Desimon Green, after he had made two sacks and batted down five passes, made a tackle that left him lying on the turf. He was removed from the field to a hospital in an ambulance. But coach Nola reports that the move was precautionary and Desimon is fine.





Clairton coaches and politics: Coach Nola is being carried around on a throne as though he was a genius. But a few short years ago he was being vilified over – shoes! As Dinah Washington (wife of football great Frank “Night Train” Lane) used to croon, “What a Difference a Day Makes.” So it is for Patrick Risha, successful Clairton football coach from the 1980s. He left gridiron for another field – educational administration, and became Superintendent of South Allegheny, McKeesport Area, and West Mifflin Area. Just as his Bears teams won on the field, several teams of businesses won contracts in his school districts – but not without lawsuits and controversy. There have been allegations that school district employees were directed to do work on the homes of his son as well as a school board member on company time. Controversy also followed his tenure in which favored companies submitted low bids for work, then billed the district substantially more by implementing “change orders” that nearly tripled the cost of the project.


Controversy began to swirl around Coach Risha then he was assistant superintendent at South Allegheny. He and a cousin were appointed to the Port Authority board. Soon there were allegations of bid fixing, but the controversy didn’t hurt his professional status as he was soon named superintendent of the school district. He left that position under pressure but with a negotiated $325,000 settlement. He and the attorney who had negotiated the settlement moved on to McKeesport as superintendent and school district counsel respectively. He then moved on to West Mifflin where the same attorney was solicitor. Between 2005 and 2009 the attorney’s firm collected nearly $ 1 million from McKeesport and West Mifflin school districts. In 2009 Superintendent Risha, who by then was working from home, resigned shortly after school board elections saw his supporters defeated by his antagonists. Reports continue to circulate that the 60-year old former superintendent and Clairton football coach is being investigated by the State Ethics Commission.





Same family; different controversy: Coach Risha’s son, Patrick, is neither a coach nor a school superintendent. Rather he is a businessman who, along with relatives of two officials of the Clairton Municipal Authority, started a business and came up with a clever and fascinating scheme that turns water into wine – well, not literally. The firm, Green Disposal, was formed in 2009 and two months later bumped 146-year old CNX Gas Corporation to become the designated firm to dump tainted water from shale gas extracting (fracking) into Clairton’s Mon Valley sanitation plant.


Here’s how it works: Green Disposal pays Clairton 6.5 cents per gallon to accept wastewater from the fracking process, and treat it at the plant located at “Peters Creek Bottoms” near State Street before it flows into Peters Creek and the Monongahela River. Once Green Disposal got the contract to treat the water, it contracted with CNX (yes, the same firm they edged out to get the Clairton contract) to allow CNX to deposit its waste water into the Clairton plant. Result? Green Disposal gets paid by CNX to allow CNX to dump tainted fracking water through the Clairton waste water treatment plant. Green Disposal then pays Clairton 6.5 cents per gallon to allow the water to be cleaned at the plant. The contract between Green Disposal and CNX is private so we do not know how much profit Green Disposal makes without ever touching the tainted water. But Clairton stands to make nearly $ 700,000 in the deal this year alone! And Green Disposal? They’ve already moved on to the West Mifflin Sanitary Sewer Municipal Authority and signed a contract with them. To paraphrase an old mining adage, “Thar’s gold in that there water!”


A labor of love: John Hodish loves his hometown. Born and raised in Clairton, he not only chooses to remain, but is on a campaign to improve the City. He led a recent March to Washington to raise the awareness of the plight of Clairton, seek political help, and raise funds on behalf of the City. John heads the Clairton Community Outreach Program (CCOP) that has formed many partnerships and outlets for Clairton residents in need (see photo above). Their Gospel Choir is going strong and the boxing club boasts the fifth ranked boxer in the nation, Samantha Griffith. Much of the help has come from ordinary folks, some from extraordinary ones like State Committeewoman Ruth Pastore, whose Crime Watch program works hand-in-hand with CCOP. As an offshoot of the Crime Watch program John and his volunteers are starting a program to address domestic abuse of women and children. They hope to eventually offer temporary shelter for abuse victims. I remember ex-Clairtonian the late Alex Ross making a plea at a class reunion. He said, “We need to give back – to help our city. We need to show it that some of us may have moved away, but we have not abandoned Clairton.” I encourage every reader of this blog to contact John Hodish at sandman715@yahoo.com. Send him an email and ask how you can help your hometown.


A little blogging music Maestro… “HELP!” by the Beatles.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com
www.mifflintownship.org

Dr. Kenny Guinn

The Amazing Dr. Kenny Guinn

In the midst of the Great Depression in rural Garland Arkansas, a poor, illiterate family had a son they named Kenny. Not Kenneth or Ken, just Kenny. As times grew more difficult for the family they heard that crops needed to be picked in the San Joaquin Valley of California so they packed up, left Arkansas behind, and headed for the Land of Milk and Honey. They settled in the small farming community of Exeter where 10-year old Kenny became fast friends with another poor kid, Bob List from nearby Visalia, and a pretty little third-grader named Dema Lee Lane. The three dirt poor kids became lifelong friends.

Bob List was an excellent student. He graduated from high school and attended Utah State University then law school at the University of California. He made his home in Nevada, practiced law and went into politics. In 1979 Robert List was elected Governor of the State of Nevada. By this time his buddy Kenny and friend Dema had also married and moved to Nevada.

Kenny’s father could not read so 10-year old Kenny would bring the newspaper home each day and in a family ritual, read it to his Dad. As he grew Kenny became movie-star handsome, an excellent student, and a star multi-sport athlete in high school. Bob List tells that story that one afternoon a school car pulled up to the Guinn home, which was little more than a hovel. The Superintendent had Kenny in the car and brought him to the front door and said, “Mr. Guinn, I had to bring Kenny home to tell you that he was named valedictorian of the school.”

Kenny’s father became red-faced and said, “Don’t worry Sir. If he did that thing at school I’ll take care of him at home and tomorrow he will apologize to the whole school and never do that again.”

Kenny was recruited by many colleges and initially attended USC to play football, but once he learned they would not let him play basketball as well, he returned to nearby Fresno State to become a star in both sports. Kenny completed his degree, married his childhood sweetheart Dema, and began teaching high school. In 1964 and Dema moved to Las Vegas where Kenny became a school administrator. Five years later he completed his Doctorate and became Superintendent of Schools in the fast-growing Clark County (Las Vegas) School District. During his nine-year tenure as Superintendent Dr. Kenny Guinn implemented outstanding programs, and kept the District fiscally responsible.

In his first State of the State address Governor Guinn spoke about success when he said, “I believe we must measure success by how we are able to care for the most fragile of our citizens – our children, the elderly, and those who are disabled. We cannot afford to do everything but there are some things we cannot afford not to do.” And he walked the walk by creating such programs including the Senior Rx program to assist seniors with medical costs, the Nevada Mammovan program that provided mammograms to the uninsured, and the Nevada Check-up program for children. During his terms as governor the number of children served by the Check Up program increased from fewer than 2,000 to more than 30,000. Time Magazine recognized Gov. Guinn as one of the five best governors in America.

Two traits became apparent during Dr. Guinn’s tenure as superintendent; he outworked everybody on his staff, and he was a man of the people. He often made surprise visits to schools and was equally comfortable talking with the custodians, cafeteria workers, children, teachers, or principals.

In 1978 he left the school district to become vice-president of a local bank then Chairman of the Board of another bank. From there he accepted the position of Chairman and CEO of Southwest Gas Corporation. In 1994 when UNLV was rocked by a scandal that forced the university president out, Kenny accepted the position of interim president with the proviso that his salary goes to student scholarships and he would work for $ 1.00 per year. He got the university back on an even keel and by this time was one of the most popular leaders in the state of Nevada.

Many of his friends as well as other movers and shakers in Nevada encouraged him to enter politics but he resisted – until 1998 when, with no previous political experience, he ran for Governor of Nevada against a popular ex-Las Vegas mayor. He won the race and served two terms as Governor. Although he ran on the Republican ticket, he was often characterized as being, “neither Republican nor Democrat nor Independent, but an advocate of the people of Nevada.”

During his stint as governor the state began its sideways skid economically, reflecting the national economic crisis. He spent countless hours, again outworking everybody else, trying to balance the state budget. When cuts had to be made his comment was always, “Save the funding for the children.”

When the tobacco lawsuit was settled Governor Guinn used Nevada’s share of the money to establish “Millennium Scholarships,” that would pay college tuition and other assistance for students who showed academic promise.

What are the odds that a small, rural farming community like Exeter, CA would produce two governors and a first lady? I’m sure they are incalculable. But it did.

Dema and Kenny Guinn moved into their home near downtown Las Vegas some 32 years ago. It was there they reared two sons and was the home Kenny used as a home base as he became the most popular man in the state of Nevada. When not working on one of his many project or for the betterment of Nevada citizens, Kenny loved to tinker around the house. So it was no surprise to Dema last week when he told her he was going to blow away the pine needles from the roof gutter. At age 73 he was healthy, fit, and still outworked most people half his age. She heard the ladder scrape and rushed outside to find her husband of 54 years lying on the ground next to the ladder. The ambulance rushed him to nearby University Medical where he was pronounced dead. Cause of death has yet to be determined.

Kenny Guinn had a huge resume; student, athlete, teacher, superintendent, executive, governor, and enough to fill a volume. But his life was devoted to his family and the people of Nevada. Dr. Kenny C. Guinn was my friend and a hero.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Wind Beneath my Wings,” originally done by the gospel group, Mighty Clouds of Joy.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

Returning to Glory

WE DON’T GET NO RESPECT

The Rodney Dangerfield of Allegheny County: We have written more than 40 posts about our hometown of Clairton, PA. We have discussed the glory days and the prosperity that was once this community by the river. We’ve heard from hundreds of current and former residents, many of whom have been kind enough to share stories, photos, and tidbits about our town. But we have not only lived in the past. We’ve shared some of the tragedies and frustrations that have infected both Clairton and the surrounding communities in the Mon-Yough valley. Yet, for some reason Clairton, more than most of the other communities that have suffered similar consequences of the day the steel industry died, has seemed to take the most hits by neighbors and their own residents. We regularly read a Clairton area forum, for example and are surprised to hear so many negative comments. One strand of the forum has neighboring Jefferson Hills residents clamoring for their own zip code so they can disassociate from Clairton. Another bemoans the supposedly sub-standard school system.

The worm is turning: During the past 30 or so years those who left Clairton for school or work or war too often did not return. Those who remained saw their once-highly desirable steel mill jobs contract and disappear. Home values tumbled. The tax base shifted from the steel mills to local business and property taxes. But of course as businesses closed and property values shrank, services reached a nadir when the police force was disbanded and the city was patrolled by county police. The school district took its lumps as well and threatened to close or merge with another but neither option seemed viable. So the Clairton School District did what Clairton has done for the past one-hundred years; it wallowed in its self pity for a while then decided to change directions. That change is the subject of today’s blog.

Still an athletic power but with budget cuts: Clairton City School District has had to make budget cuts just like most schools across the nation. But instead of sitting idly by they formed the Clairton Bears Academic and Athletic Association. The inaugural fund raising golf outing at the Seven Springs Golf Course drew 108 participating golfers and raised some $5,000. The funds will help the athletes in all sports including the championship football team. And just as athletic teams are evaluated by their won-loss records, individual schools are evaluated on their students’ performance on standardized tests. Each year all Pennsylvania school students in grades 3-8 and grade 11 are given standardized tests. The testing is required by the No Child Left Behind Act and a passing grade denotes Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP. For the second time Clairton students in the grades tested achieved AYP. The high school was listed as Making Progress and the elementary school is in the Warning category. The superintendent has implemented a Reorganization Plan to continue working toward AYP in all levels.

Reorganization – back to the future: An old adage is, “The more things change the more they stay the same.” Perhaps there is some truth to that adage with Clairton City School District returning to a structure that was in place when Clairton schools excelled. The Board recently approved a realignment that would create an elementary school (K-6) and a Middle/high school for grades 7-12. The elementary school children will be heterogeneously grouped, meaning children will spend the entire day with the same teacher and with classmates of all abilities learning together. That is the preferred format of many educators who believe that homogenous grouping (grouping children by academic ability level) can lead to elitism in the top groups and student warehousing in the lower groups. Middle school students will change classes and work with teachers who have expertise in subject areas, much like high school students. One result will be smaller class sizes allowing for more individual attention. The format is the very similar to the one followed during the glory days of Clairton schools in the 1950s.

Wait! There’s more: Many pundits and educators who have bemoaned the slide in academic achievement in public schools have cited student appearance as a factor. This dilemma arises from the constitutional right of students to freedom of expression in speech and wearing apparel, as opposed to a school dress code. In keeping with the school’s obligation to provide a safe, healthy environment, the Clairton Education Center has adopted a dress code that complies with the Public School Code. Among the banned clothing are hoods, hats or other headgear, clothing that does not cover the midriff, outdoor jackets and coats, sunglasses, wallet chains, gang-related clothing, or jeans. Pants must be solid colored, light or dark blue, white or beige/brown fitted or belted at the waist, and no sweat pants. Skirts or jumpers must be the same colors as pants, no shorter than one inch above the knee and no slits more than one inch above the knee. Ditto for shirts, tops and sweaters, and they must cover the complete shoulder area. No t-shirts. Footwear must be fastened or laced and may not include flip-flops, open toed shoes, or “heelies.” Dress code is to be in effect during regular school hours as well as during athletic and school-sponsored travel.

Two crucial components: In addition to having students ready to learn, there are two crucial components to successful education; parent involvement and continued teacher development. Clairton addressed the teacher development component with an in-service this summer that included education techniques, classroom conduct, classroom management, and a host of other topics. Communication with parents is being addressed with several techniques including letters to parents, a web page, and a newsletter that is sent to every Clairton resident. Clairton deserves an A for efforts to get the School District on the track to effectively teach its students. Knowledge is power.

A little blogging music Maestro... From the Beatles; “With a Little Help from my Friends.”

Dr. Forgot

http://drforgot.com

Olden Days and School Daze

The Days of Wine and Roses and Runny Noses

One must be “of a certain age:” Today’s blog is designed to stir the memories of those of us who, shall we say, are sufficiently ripe to remember them. From running boards to bushel baskets to washing and ironing, many tasks and icons once considered matter-of-fact are totally foreign to less senior generations. The first memory, hanging clothes out to dry comes from a blog reader in Western Pennsylvania. She reminds me that the first step, running a damp cloth across the clothesline was of utmost importance lest some of the grime from steel mills become a part of the laundry.

Airing your not-so-dirty laundry: Eleven easy (?) steps.

1.Before hanging wash, you had to walk the entire lengths of each line with a damp cloth or sponge around the lines to prevent dirt marks on clothes.

2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order; always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.

3. You never ever hang a shirt by the shoulders -- always by the tail! What would the neighbors' think?

4. Wash day on Monday! Never hang clothes on the weekend, or Sunday.

5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y'know!)

6. About to rain -- or presently raining -- was the best time to have clothes on the line since they would become "rain fresh." So what if it was lightning while hanging out clothes?!

7. It didn't matter if it was sub zero weather . . . Clothes would "freeze-dry."

8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one with the next washed item.

9. Always gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky" and wooden ones would mildew and leave marks on clothes.

10. Clothes off of the line before dinner time. Never leave clothes on lines over night!

11. Remove clothes from line, shake hard, "watch for forgotten pins that could put an eye out!" and fold them into the clothes basket. Now they are ready to be ironed.

- IRONED?! Well, that's a whole other subject! And you think that hanging clothes took time, not as long as ironing; and unless you did put your eye out with a clothes pin, ironing was far more dangerous!

Health Care; a hot topic: Today the national debt just passed a trillion dollars and the geniuses in Washington are trying to figure out a Health Bill that will be revolutionary. Well, here is a suggestion, follow the model set by Dr. Booker, Dr. Rascatti, Dr. Cutuly, et. al. in Clairton in the old days. An office visit was five bucks. Home visit? Five bucks also, and no extra charge to come by and hang a “Quarantined” sign on your front door. Ok, inflation has decreased the dollar’s value so instead of $% charge $25 per visit. No office staff needed since there are no insurance forms to be completed and the nurse can set appointments.

School days, school days, good old Golden Rule days: A recent study listed the top seven discipline problems as: drug and alcohol abuse, pregnancy, suicide, rape, robbery, assault, and guns in the school. Way back when Moby Dick was a sardine, the same list might have included: talking, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls, getting out of turn in line, wearing improper clothes, and not putting paper in wastebaskets. I remember a veteran teacher reflecting on his first day at a rural school in Montana. He was sent down to see the math teacher who was also the wrestling coach. As the fresh-faced teacher walked into the room he saw the veteran teacher had a male student pinned to the floor and wrapped up like a pretzel. He finally lifted the kid up and said, “Don’t ever do that again.” After class the newbie screwed up enough courage to ask what rule had caused the discipline, and without blinking an eye he said, “He came in late.”

Hire the best and the brightest: A recent teacher interview was completed and the potential teacher was asked if there were any questions. The prospective teacher said:

"Let me see if I've got this right.

'You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning...

'You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride.

'You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job.

'You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and make sure that they all pass the final exams.

'You also want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents in English, Spanish or any other language, by letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card.

'You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps..

'You want me to do all this and then you tell me. . . I CAN'T PRAY?'"


A little blogging music Maestro... From the 1958 movie of the same name, Doris Day sings “Teacher’s Pet.”

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

We Reap What We Sow

Inaugural Commencement Ceremony

‘Tis the season: Next summer I will return to my hometown of Clairton, PA to attend my high school class reunion. Last night in preparation for that event I attended the commencement ceremony of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas (photo right). Tennis star Andre Agassi (photo left) is a local product but unlike many Las Vegas celebrities he has given back to the community. Perhaps because his own education was interrupted by a stellar tennis career, he and wife Steffi Graf have focused on educating local children. Through his foundation he’s funded a Boys and Girls Club, scholarships, after school projects, Child Haven for abused and neglected children, summer camp, and many other worthy causes. But his crown jewel is the $40 million Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy built in what many consider the most economically depressed part of the community.

How to grow a school: The first Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy class was comprised of at-risk students in grades 3-5. Grades K-2 were added and the school grew. As each school year was completed the original fifth graders and other grades advanced one year. Last night the fifth graders who by now had become seniors took part in a commencement ceremony for the inaugural graduating class. But a top notch education does not come cheap – or easily.

The state of education in Nevada: The state of Nevada funds its public schools at one of the lowest of any of the 50 states, roughly $ 6500 per student per year, about half the national average. The Agassi Foundation’s goal is to make up the difference through fundraisers and donations. To that end Mr. Agassi holds an annual “Grand Slam” fundraiser. That is the background story. Agassi Prep is a Charter School under the auspices of the local school district. The charter requires students to attend school two extra hours per day and two additional weeks per year. Faculty and staff are meticulously interviewed and go above and beyond the school’s requirements. The result for the first graduating class is a 100% graduation rate with every student accepted into college and collectively earning hundreds of thousands of scholarship dollars. Grads have been accepted at and plan to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, University of Tennessee, Alcorn State University, Spelman College, Pepperdine University, Concordia University, Cornell College, Grambling University, Ithaca College, Lehigh University, Prairie View University, University of San Francisco, and all the Nevada universities as well as others.

Not your grandpa’s graduation: Students fortunate enough to attend Agassi Prep – and there is a waiting list of hundreds – receive extra consideration if they live within a two-mile radius of the school. They are selected randomly by lottery and those who win the lottery must have parents or guardians willing to support their students and the high standards of the school. Teachers, parents and students working together make up a team that yields quality graduates. Those who stay the course take part in extracurricular activities that include the usual such as sports (the Boys basketball team went to State this year) and the unusual, such as a recent senior class trip to France.

Not your grandma’s graduation either: The graduating class of Stars (that is the Agassi Prep mascot) took part in a ceremony whose speakers included Mr. Agassi, himself an accomplished public speaker, Chancellor Marsha Irvin, Student Body President Alexis Wallace, and Valedictorian Desmend Jetton. Musical numbers were performed by the Agassi Orchestra Ensemble and graduating senior Je’na Givens singing “Over the Rainbow,” as well as the musical group Mosaic singing “End of the Road.” But the highlight of the Commencement Ceremony came when Chancellor Irvin presented Mr. Agassi with a congratulatory letter that had arrived at the school by Special Delivery that morning from President Obama. Each graduating senior received a copy of the letter.

Words of wisdom: Some of the advice that Andre Agassi gave to the graduates included: “Tennis was not my life, it was my job. My life was my life.” Also, “Stay strong in your faith and have faith in your strength.” Senior Class President La’Mayah Hodges reminded the graduates that since they’re the first graduating class, by default they’re the best! Salutatorian Simone Ruffin remarked, “Some along the way have short-sightedly labeled us as at-risk. Well, we are at risk -- at risk of excellence, at risk of success,” she continued. “We are at risk of having a class where 100 percent of the students graduate and go to college,” Mr. Agassi echoed the students’ sentiments when he told the students they are pioneers and sometimes pioneers get lost, but they continue to strive, “Tell yourself again the story of how you were a pioneer,” Agassi told the students. “How you proved all the naysayers wrong; how you defied the odds and made your parents and teachers and that one old tennis player very, very proud.” Mr. Agassi also said that he hoped that after college many of the graduates will return to the community and make a difference for future generations.

Things I realized at the ceremony: That cocky young tennis phenom and rebel with the wild hair who took the stodgy tennis community by storm is now a bald husband and father who has made it his life mission to give back to the community that spawned him. He looked every bit as good in his academic regalia (see photo above) as he did in his tennis outfits. He is as focused on facilitating his goals today as he was when he won eight grand slam singles tournaments. I also realized that poor children, who we as a society call “at risk,” can compete and excel when given opportunities equal to those of their successful peers. Finally, I remembered what I had known for a long time; that putting together “at risk” students, committed teachers, a strong administration, and a community’s resources, is not only a formula for success but it is the gift that keeps on giving to future generations.
http://www.agassiprep.org/

A little blogging music Maestro... The theme of nearly every Commencement Ceremony, “Pomp and Circumstance.”

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

Final Exam Time

If you think there is no prayer in schools, stop by during Finals.

Semester Exam: Ok boys and girls. You have been reading the Clairton posts all semester. You’ve had practice quizzes, stayed up late into the night to study after Dancing With the Stars was over, and now you’re ready for your final exam. No cheating. Remove all books and materials from your desk and get ready... GO!

1. The first recorded survey of property occurred in
a. 1776
b. 1911
c. 1769
d. When Hell froze over

2. The borough of Clairton was chartered in
a. 1776
b. 1903
c. 1917
d. December 7, 1941

3. The borough of Wilson was chartered in
a. 1776
b. 1907
c. 1944
d. The day the earth stood still

4. North Clairton, chartered in 1915 was also called:
a. Woodland Terrace
b. The Blair District
c. The City of Prayer
d. Newtown

5. All three boroughs above incorporated as the City of Clairton in
a. 1777
b. 1856
c. 1922
d. When the moon was in the seventh house

6. The Piano company factory in Wilson in 1889 was named for:
a. Wilson
b. Clairton
c. Mendelssohn
d. St. Clair

7. The first Post Office, established in 1848 was located in
a. Wilson
b. Clairton
c. Coal Valley
d. Marracini’s Market

8. Central Park, along the River in Blair in the 1890s included:
a. A pavilion for dancing
b. A dining room
c. A thoroughbred racetrack
d. All of the above

9. The first FHA approved large scale housing project in the nation:
a. Malmady Village
b. Colonial Village
c. Woodland Terrace
d. Wilson Newtown

10. The first chartered bank in the City was:
a. Three Rivers
b. Nationsbank
c. Union Trust
d. Clairton Bank and Trust

Ok, while you sharpen your pencils for the next session, exchange papers with the person next to you and check your answers. Remember, no cheating or you will be sent to the principal’s office and Miss Brogan has a paddle machine especially designed for cheaters. Ready? 1. c, 2. b, 3. b, 4. b, 5. c, 6. c, 7. c, 8. d, 9. b, 10. c. Ok, ready for part II?

1. The Clairtonian who won a Congressional Medal of Honor:
a. Capt. Reggie Desiderio
b. Col. Reggie Bush
c. Lt. Roger DiNiro
d. Captain Marvel

2. Clairton High School’s two All Americans were:(choose 2)
a. Ken Stilley
b. Andrew Berchock
c. Jim Kelley
d. Ron Lancaster

3. The two attended college at (choose 2)
a. Notre Dame
b. Penn State
c. North Carolina
d. Pitt

4. Clairton War Hero Ed Skvarna once danced with:
a. Ginger Rogers
b. Lucille Ball
c. Madonna
d. Donna Reed

5. Clairtonian Nell “Honey” Kohler was recognized for:
a. Unionizing steel workers
b. Crocheting 13,000 blankets for orphans
c. Being the model for “Rosie the Riveter”
d. Being Clairton’s first female Police Chief

6. What Clairton lad acted in “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?
a. Michael Green
b. Frank Russo
c. Don Nesti
d. John Moio

7. Which one the following was a Clairton elementary school?
a. Short Street
b. Sixth Street
c. Chestnut Avenue
d. Milner Avenue

8. How many boys graduated in the first CHS class of 1907?
a. 1
b. 5
c. 10
d. None

9. Harry Gilmore, CHS ’55:
a. Was the first Ambassador to Armenia
b. Was the highest ranking American Diplomat in Berlin when the Berlin Wall fell
c. Was the last American to cross Checkpoint Charlie
d. Earned the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal

10. May 30, 1930 Clairton celebrated
a. The end of the Korean War
b. Its 50th anniversary
c. The opening of the new Clairton High School
d. The opening of the new swimming pool.

Ok, exchange papers again. The answers are 1. A, 2. B&C 3. A&C, 4. D, 5. B, 6. D, 7. A, 8. A, 9. (All are true) 10. D. That is your semester exam. If you passed you will be promoted to the next grade as a Clairton Expert. But don’t get too cocky because some define “ex” as a has-been and “spurt” as a drip under pressure.

PS: For the reader who asked about a picture of anything from the Central Park along the river, the Dance Pavilion from that park appears in the Silver Anniversary “Memories” booklet published in 1947. A copy, I am told, resides in the Clairton Room of the Clairton Public Library. The pages of the booklet aren’t numbered but it is in the “Borough of Clairton” section. Toward the back of the booklet there is also an artist’s rendering of the entire Central Park. Also contact the Mifflin Historical Society (web address below) for an extensive Clairton memorabilia collection.

NOTE: The photo above is the original Clairton High School. It was a three-story red brick building on Fifth Street. When the school could no longer accommodate the influx of students a new school was built across the street that became the present Clairton High School. The original CHS was retrofitted and renamed Fifth Street Elementary School. Inside the tower atop the school was a heavy iron bell that pealed each morning to tell the kiddies they’d better hurry to get to school on time. As time took its toll on the school, engineers determined that the weight of the bell could no longer be supported and it was removed and placed on a concrete stand at the school’s entrance. Fifth Street Grade School was eventually demolished. All that remains is the open space across from the CHS entry.

A little blogging music Maestro... “Summer in the City” by The Lovin’ Spoonful.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com
www.mifflintownship.org

Midterm Exam

MID-TERM EXAM

Ok boys and girls, it is time for your midterm exam. Get your pencils sharpened and answer the following questions:

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1) How long did the Hundred Years' War Last?
a. 100 years
b. 200 years
c. 116 years
d. 101 years

2) Which country makes Panama hats?
a. Costa Rica
b. Panama
c. China
d. Ecuador

3) From which animals do we get cat gut?
a. Cats and rats
b. Sheep and horses
c. Gutter snipes
d. Catamarans

4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?
a. Januariski
b. Februarski
c. Octoberski
d. Novemberski

5) What is a camel's hair brush made of?
a. Horse tail
b. Armpit hair
c. Camel’s mane
d. Squirrel fur

6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal?
a. Canary
b. Dog
c. Yellowtail Tuna
d. Cannery Row

6) What was King George VI's first name?
a. King
b. George
c. Henry
d. Albert

8) What color is a purple finch?
a. Puce
b. Crimson
c. Magenta
d. Purple

9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from?
a. China
b. Australia
c. New Zealand
d. Viet Nam

10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane?
a. Orange
b. Red
c. Black
d. Charcoal

Answers: C,D,B,D,D,B,D,B,C,A

POLITICAL SCIENCE

1. The baby boom is best exemplified by:
a. California Octuplet Mom
b. Lady who lived in a shoe
c. Bill Clinton
d. Governor of Alaska

2. Most famous African-American/French restaurant in New Orelans:
a. Louis and DaJaun’s
b. Ce est Collard Green
c. Chez What?

3. The porn industry has lobbied hardest for:
a. Less censorship
b. Skimpier outfits
c. A stimulus bill

4. The most fawned after person this week was:
a. Brad Pitt
b. Kate Winslett
c. Hugh Jackman
d. Barack Obama

5. During his trip to Canada, President Obama’s primary topic was:
a. The budget
b. Foreign relations
c. NAFTA
d. Canadian Geese

That’s your midterm quiz for today boys and girls. Remember the freshman mantra: “The more you study the more you learn. The more you learn the more you know. The more you know the more you forget. The more you forget the stupider you are. Conclusion: Studying makes you stupid.”

A little blogging Maestro… “What’s Goin On?,” by Marvin Gaye.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

Where Have All the Students Gone?

Don’t Get No Respect

We’re Number One: From the bottom, that is. It has been said that the state of Nevada is 49th out of the 50 states in funding for education. Many reasons have been given for this – most casino jobs do not require an education. Dealer? Count to 21. Food server? Know when your order needs to be picked up. Casino host? Know how to glad hand. It helps if you are a sports celebrity so the patrons can go home and say, “Guess who I met in Vegas?” Cab drivers need to know the longest route between two hotels. Change persons need to know who they gave the “lucky quarters” to so they get a good tip. Cocktail waitresses need to know how to balance drinks on a tray while wiggling. Visitors and convention goers are more concerned after their meetings with good food and action rather than determining the validity of the Pythagorean theorem. They don’t care whether or not pie are square, they only care how it tastes.

A one Horse Town: Perhaps not. We have the best entertainment in the world, the most convention space, and the finest dining establishments. We have the world’s largest hotels and the most hotel rooms. Bottom line of the bottom line is that Nevada is a one-industry state and Las Vegas is a one-industry town. But what more can one expect of a town located in the middle of a desert? A town that has no logical reason to exist. A town that has over three hundred days per year of sunshine? Well, how about bringing in some clean industry like, perhaps computer of electronics? Sorry, the population base is not well enough educated for high tech industries to adequately man the factories. Ok then, what about solar energy? With all that sun, why not take advantage? Our local power company is loathe to provide the kinds of incentives to make such research viable. Also, there are not enough scientists in the state to develop the kind of technology needed. We’d better expand our higher education system and infuse our pre-college system with funding to make Nevada the premier source of education. With a small population that should not be too difficult.

Pardon me, Gov: Surely the governor, a highly educated man and former military and commercial pilot would understand this problem and help out education. In fact, his budget is due out today. Let’s see what he has done to encourage education in our state. We’re in a financial bind. Our biggest industry is gaming – whose entities pay a fraction of their compatriots in New Jersey and other states. Perhaps we could bump gaming taxes up a bit to help education. Maybe the mining industry. Since precious metal prices have spiked, maybe we can tap them for a dollar or two for education. Of course there will have to be cuts, but with education spending in Nevada at the bottom of the barrel among the states, maybe they can be spared some of the cuts.

The former pilot crashes education: Governor Jim Gibbons just put forth his proposed budget which included $ 633 million in cuts to the state’s general fund. How did the nation’s poor cousin of education fare? Eighty-six percent, $ 547 million of the $ 633 million in cuts came from an education system that ranks close to dead last in funding already. The guv is attempting to gut a system that wallows near the bottom. Teachers, not known for being among the higher paid employees are scheduled for a 6% pay cut. These are the folks who take a portion of their own salary to buy supplies for their students. These are the people in whose pockets Governor Jim Bob is reaching. Oh, he agreed to cut his own salary from $ 150,000 not including perks. I’m sure any third grade teacher making $ 150,000, a car allowance, a free mansion, and other perks would also agree to a 6% salary cut. How did his cronies in the casino and mining industries and other businesses fare? Read his lips, no new taxes.

No question about it: The Guv is not doing anything that he did not promise – leaving his cronies untouched while the children of our state suffer through cutbacks. Yes, Martha, we deserve exactly the representation we elected.

A little blogging music Maestro: “You Left Me Just When I needed You Most,” by Randy VanWarmer.

Dr forgot
http://drforgot.com