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Odessa American, Texas, Ken Brodnax Column

Posted on: Monday, 8 May 2006, 15:04 CDT

By Ken Brodnax, Odessa American, Texas

May 7--God knows, Ector County Independent School District, as with any public school system, has its share of problems.

Undertaking the task of educating 26,000 children, each of whom has individual talents, problems and quirks, is on the brink of an impossible task.

But ECISD does what all school districts do -- survive and try to produce as many world-ready adults as possible.

And each school year is fraught with arguments over standard attire, test scores, what classes should or should not be offered and dozens of other controversial items.

That's why every person in Ector County who cares one whit about the educational process ought to have the chance to see one of the things that is right about ECISD.

And one of those "right" things is the Awards for Excellence banquet held near the end of the school year.

This event allows the community to reward an elite collection of students who have made the best use of their education to distinguish themselves in their chosen fields of study.

Talk about one of those "feel-good" experiences ... well, it's difficult to witness one of these affairs without feeling a bit of faith being restored to your cynical old bones.

First of all, this is a class act. The honored students not only get to bring their parents to witness their shining hour, they also are asked to name their favorite teacher. And the selected teachers are honored at the same time.

So you have this parade of young men and women who come from all walks of life on center stage. And they share their long lists of honors, their future plans and just why they admire the teacher they chose as their favorite.

This is all done in an atmosphere that exudes class. The meal is not standard rubber chicken. The attendees dine on steaks.

And another reassuring thing. Entertainment this year was provided by Permian's Satin Strings, which could be this city's most valuable asset. This musical group can bring tears to the hardest of eyes with its wide array of stringed entertainment. And the excellence is handed down from year to year ... and has been shared in all sorts of national venues, including presidential inaugurations.

Better yet, local businesses and individuals underwrite these awards as a way of endorsing the efforts of these fine students and teachers. And all the bigwigs -- administrators and trustees -- are there to hand out the awards and add significance to something that will live in posterity for the students and their families.

ECISD did this marvelous deed for the 18th time Tuesday evening. Who knows, it may not be long before some second-generation Awards for Excellence winners start popping up. Now that's a legacy worth admiring.

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To see more of the Odessa American, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.oaoa.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Odessa American, Texas

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Source: Odessa American

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