What a responsibility! What a job!
This year LEAF is featuring blogs from our Board members and volunteers sharing why they give their time and talents in service to District 742 students. Today’s blog is from Mark Thelen, a member of our LEAF Board.
As a member of the PR committee, I am involved particularly in designing our mailings. You like?
At this moment in early March, I am immersed in designing LEAF’s 2025 Annual Report, which informs recipients what LEAF has accomplished and also what we and District 742 are all about. Toward that end, without summoning, the following essay drifted at me in the middle of the night, February 26:
Imagine that four or five, maybe a dozen or more, youngsters will show up at your door at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning and, for some reason, it will be your responsibility to look out for them. You must make sure they are engaged, nourished, and generally guided and well behaved until mid to late afternoon. Then they will go home and you will want to get ready for the same the next day! Oof da!
What a responsibility! What a job! I’ll venture you would want some help.
Well, our School District 742 has the same responsibility, but the number of youngsters is close to 10,000 ! It should not be hard to imagine, it can use some help. That is the Mission of LEAF 742. To help District 742.
That is why I want to help. But there is more.
When I attended Holy Family Grade School and Albany (public) High School in the 50s and early 60s many of the issues and complexities of modern America did not exist. Did they? But also, I never experienced issues of affordability such as hunger and homelessness. Activities, such as they were, did not require fees. I never went to bed hungry or cold. If classmates did, I didn’t know. But there is more.
Twenty-five years from now, politics and technology will powerfully determine what society will be like. But just as important — more important, really — will be the quality of those who are now students. Do right by them and everything will be just fine.