October 2, 2009
Tomorrow’s Work Force luncheon sets record
Left: Tony bennett, Indiana superintendent of public instruction, meets with members of the audience following his presentation at Tomorrow’s Work Force Sept. 24. Right: Clare Scheller from Mater Dei High School stands as she and all the students honored at the luncheon were introduced. (Message photo by Paul R. Leingang) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
A record crowd of business and civic leaders raised a record $130,000 at the luncheon Sept. 24 for Tomorrow’s Work Force — a program supporting Mater Dei and Memorial high schools in Evansville.
The luncheon provided $104,000 in 2007 and $117,000 in 2008, according to Donald Rupprecht, president of the Evansville Interparochial Catholic High Schools. He said the funds would help science and technology and faculty development at the two schools.
The featured speaker was Tony Bennett, Indiana superintendent of public instruction. Guests at the luncheon, held at the Centre in Evansville, included senior students from the two high schools who were 2009 Leadership Award Recipients.
Approximately 320 people — with at least one student seated at each table — attended the event.
Bennett told them Evansville is “a model to the state” — noting that Vincent Bertram, superintendent of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corpora-tion, and Sally Becker, a member of the EVSC School Board, were both in attendance.
“We should take this island of excellence and move it state-wide,” he said.
Bennett said that kind of showing indicated not just a concern for the children at Catholic schools or public schools, but “for our school children.”
He noted that critics at times suggested he should pay attention to the title of his elected office — Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“My public is every child in the state of Indiana, and we’re going to serve them all,” he countered.
Bennett listed a series of meas-urements he wants for Indiana students — including a 90 percent graduation rate, 90 percent passing ISTEP tests and other standards related to Advanced Placement and college credits.
Speaking earlier at the luncheon, Don Rupprecht had pointed out that Mater Dei and Memorial students had exceeded the measurements Bennett listed.
Bennett recalled 1962, when President John F. Kennedy made the commitment to put a man on the moon, and that two popular cartoons of that era were the Jetsons and the Flint-stones.
He suggested that if Rip Van Winkle had fallen asleep in 1962 and awakened today, the only thing he would recognize would be the educational system — still using Flintstone methods in a Jetsons age.
He said Indiana education needs change in three areas: competition that increases excellence on the part of the competitors (such as EVSC schools and Evansville Catholic high schools); freedom so that all schools can operate “in a charter-like or a private-like” at-mosphere; and accountability.
“We are all accountable for the academic achievement of our students, “ he said.
Leadership Award Recipients
Mater Dei High School students include Jennifer Atherton, Sara Blankenberger, Emily Jolly, Erin Kelley, Jessica Kempf, Cara Kuester, Kayla Lydon, Caitlyn Mitchell, Brooke Nurrenbern, Rachel Rexing, Benjamin Richardson, Clare Scheller, Alissa Schenk, Matt Schneider, Lauren Seitz, Faith Slaton, Kathryn Steinkamp, Weston Tenbarge, Katelyn Wargel, Olivia Weinzapfel, Annelise Will and Jess-ica Wilson.
Memorial students include Nicholas Bafunno, Corrine Casino, Ellen Dillman, Susan Featherstone, Max Hagan, Molly Joest, Katherin Loehr, Olivia O’Dell, Mariah Phipps, Sara Scheidel, William Sievern, Ariayna Thomas, Lindsey Will and Eric Wolf.