Week of March 14th, 2014

Have to do a little bragging on Paul this week.  A month or so ago, he tried out for the high school softball team and was selected to play varsity.  We are all bummed that the school doesn't offer proper baseball, but they have what they have and being named varsity as a Freshman is still an accomplishment.  There aren't any other local teams their age to play, so they compete against men's softball clubs.  Their opponents range in skill from high quality beer league to ex-professional baseball players still getting their game on, so pretty decent competition for high schoolers.  He is the starting 3B  and has been batting second, and last week had such a big day at the plate/field, that he was voted the schools Athlete of the Week. 

Being a starter would get him on the select team that will be traveling to Singapore in April to compete against the other American schools in Asia (i.e. Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.).  He just found out this morning that he will be unable to go on that trip.  In the fall, he joined an after school debate team and they entered a global on-line competition with the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF), which is sponsored by a New York law firm.  You can read more about it here.  The competition is open to all high schools around the world, and their team submitted an initial paper in October.  Over 250 schools, from 37 states and 25 countries submitted papers and those were weeded down to an NCAA tournament style 64.  Those 64 teams then went on a single elimination bracket and over the last few months, they have been going head to head with other schools, taking one side or another on whatever issue they have been given, and had progressed to the Sweet 16 round.  He learned on Wednesday morning that their group won their round 16 match and are in the Elite 8, which entails an all expense paid trip to New York City to compete for the top prize.  They will be going against schools not only from states like Arizona and Texas, but also from places like Singapore and Slovakia.  Hugely impressive, especially considering that their team is comprised of Freshman and Sophomores only.  Unfortunately for him, the trip is the same week as the baseball, I mean softball, teams trip to Singapore.  Such a problem of riches...

He/we are so lucky that the kids have this chance to go to this school.  I tell this story a lot, and am sure I did so in this space previously, but the first week at the school last year, I am sitting at home and get a call from Paul's 8th grade homeroom teacher, Ms. Rowe.  She introduces herself and my gut reaction is, 'what did the boy do this time?'.  I later learn that these calls are standard for new students to check in with the parents to see how the kids are doing with the huge life change, but during the call, she tells me how much she loves having him in class and that he is very talkative.  This was always a negative in Seattle Public, but at TAS, they are looking for the kids that aren't afraid to speak up.  Throughout the year, she recruited him to join the Model UN team and he has been participating in that since.  This led to him being involved in a group of kids that put their hat into this forensics competition this year.  Their forensics team is being mentored by faculty at the school that includes two coaches from Brown and Yale's Scholars Summer debate program and the former VP of the National Forensics League that are on their staff. 

Now you can understand why I have drank the Kool-Aid about the school and can see why I want to be a part of such an amazing place, which is why I put my hat into the race for the school board.  I have learned a lot so far and will share some of the cool and funny stuff next week, but I have had to devote a bunch of time putting together my campaign materials this week, which are all due today.  This afternoon, the candidates are invited to attend and speak at the schools "Chinese Gathering", which I am told consists of 100 or so hard core Chinese parents.  I am not typically nervous about public speaking, but know that my brand of English, laced with sarcastic (some might say sardonic) humor just doesn't translate into Mandarin.  In any case, should provide some fodder for next weeks entry.  In the meantime, here is the (almost final) draft of my on-line profile (including head shot...when did my hair get so gray?).

Background

I was born and raised in Southern California.  I attended Arcadia High School and spent my senior year in Australia on a student exchange.    I received my BA in International Service at American University in Washington DC.  While there, I spent a semester abroad at Universidad Catolica in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

After graduation, I worked for 25 years in the Customs Compliance and International Transportation fields for Expeditors International and Nordstrom Inc.  These two companies are internationally renowned for providing excellent quality and customer service.  I am proud of the contributions I made to both, and learned a great deal about what goes into creating a world class organization from them.  In 2013, a job offer for my wife of 20 years, Betty, to transfer to with Costco led to our relocation to Taipei, and our children’s (Paul –grade 9 and Carolyn-grade 5) enrollment at TAS.  While this move put my professional career on hold, it provided me the ability to focus my attention on our family, which has led to much time being involved with TAS.  In the two years we have been at the school, every time I walk away from a performance, parent/teacher conference, or just seeing a random faculty/student interaction, I feel TAS is the equal in offering the quality and service of my previous employers.  The constant amazement at what the TAS community offers, and the desire to contribute to its continuation, is why I am running for School Board. 

Objective

My objectives as a member of the school board will be to support TAS administration in obtaining the highest quality faculty possible, and to ensure that the funds available are used prudently in creating a state of the art facility.  These pillars will ensure that our students are the most desired by universities around the world, and are uniquely prepared for their role as the future leaders of society.

Priorities

1)      Advocate for the future.  Keep TAS in the lead with regard to changes in technology so our students remain at the forefront of high school graduates.  A goal of the entire administration should always be to identify and invest in the next robotics lab, 3D printer, etc. 

2)      The next generation.  Build upon the solid current structure with the goal for TAS to not just be a better place for our children, but for their children.  Every thought, action and question should be how to secure and allocate resources, both human and financial, to make that happen.

3)      Community.  It is my experience that many rewarding educational experiences happen outside the classroom.  With the somewhat transient nature of a large percentage of the TAS community, creating a lasting passion for the institution is a challenge.  Building the love of TAS amongst the students and their families through sports, the arts, and community outreach will create a powerful and active alumni that will serve the school in perpetuity. 

Mangia!