graduation address

[Doug Johnson <palsdaj@VAX1.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>]

Hi Kathy,

I was the person who was looking for some advice to use in a graduation
address to an alternative high school.

I believe I was asked to be the speaker because I was the first media
director this district has had to recognize that the alternative high
school students and faculty have library, AV, and computer needs.  As a
result, in the past 3 years, my department has helped this small school of
about 100 students get:

        - a 12 station networked computer lab
        - CD-Rom station w/ encyclopedia
        - cable TV and Xpress/Xchange
        - the regular services of a licensed media specialist
        - a book and magazine budget
        - computers and computer training for the staff
        - a video camera and other AV equipment in a ration equal to other
          high schools in the district
        - (next year) the same Internet hook-up as all the other district's
          schools

I am sorry if my message indicated that I was in anyway derogatory toward
the school or its students. You can bank on the fact that I will spend no
less time preparing for this talk than if I were speaking at Harvard. I
felt that being asked was a genuine honor.

My goal in getting advice from you fine folks was to help make the speech a
meaningful and relevant one for the graduates. I think it will be a
challenge to recognize the unique qualities of these graduates without
demeaning them in anyway.

Sorry if I offended.

Doug


Doug Johnson, District Media Supervisor | The customer support department of
Mankato Public Schools, ISD77           | Dell Computer answers about 8000
Box 8713, Mankato MN 56001-8713         | telephone calls every day. About 10
507-387-7698                            | of those callers state "there is
palsdaj@vax1.mankato.msus.edu           | something wrong with my keyboard,
                                          it doesn't have an ANY key."
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