Supporting those on the spectrum at Whole in One

WholeinOne

The sentiments from my previous blog post still ring true: Standout leaders make sacrifices for those in need. We’ve seen the same positive guidance come from our local leadership.

A recent example of exceptional leadership within EHE is illustrated by the Whole in One golf camp led by Kelly Trent and Jae Westfall.

Whole in One, a unique camp designed for young children with autism, was created to introduce young people to a sport that would allow them to use their talents and excel. It was made possible through the work of many volunteers, some from the college and several others from local high schools, along with a comprehensive team of professionals. This all-inclusive team included a professional golfer and specialists in adaptive physical education, speech pathology and logistics.

A week ago, the 2016 Whole in One golf camp came to a close.


I applaud each and every one of the camp’s team members for their vision, dedication, perseverance and service to others. They are role models for all of us to stand up for inclusivity.


I hope many more in our college will seize similar opportunities. Efforts to make life better for others inevitably makes life better for the broader community as well as for ourselves.

Is there anything more important now?

Light within the darkness

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It’s been one of the hardest weeks that America has faced in a long time. There are no words for the multiple tragedies that have fallen hard on the heels of one another.


I can only find comfort now in the good I see come from these difficult times.


While we’ve seen terrible sadness, we’ve also seen positive initiatives this past week, such as a scholarship fund for the children of Alton Sterling and a support fund for the victims of the Dallas shooting. This aid has come from our northern reaches to our southern borders.

While others shrink, leaders step up and they make sacrifices for the sake of others. Good leaders make sure no one is left out and no one is forgotten.

Thank you to all who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support the families of those who are no longer with us.

Review of the Month: “The Other Wes Moore”

"The Other Wes Moore," by Wes Moore. I just finished reading, “The Other Wes Moore,” by Wes Moore. It’s the Buckeye Book Community selection for this year’s incoming class. The book tells the story of two African-American boys with the same name growing up in more or less the same place at the same time.

The twist: One ends up in jail and the other ends up enormously accomplished.


The book gives us a clear picture of Baltimore or more specifically, West Baltimore. I learned a lot from it. The thing that hit me the hardest was the level of violence that 7- to 10-year-old boys routinely face. It’s worth thinking about as we read the news every day. The statistics that Moore gives are compelling. Seeping underneath it all is the vice grip of poverty.

The reviewers heaped this book with praise and it should spark a lot of conversation this new school year, but I’ll be candid with you. I was spoiled by reading “The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace” a few months ago. That book is beautifully written by an accomplished writer. It is also complete and reflective.

The author of “The Other Wes Moore” tells the story of the other Wes Moore better than he tells his own. The book is patchy; a lot of pieces about the author’s life are left out.

The lucky thing is that Wes Moore, the author, will be visiting campus this fall, so we can ask him as many questions as we need to fill in the blanks. I’d like to hear more about his thinking too. For example, while he praises his mother and other women in his life, he doesn’t reflect on the quality of their lives or motives or how to make those lives any better. Didn’t both mothers try as hard and love as much? What is it about context that makes a difference?

Moore’s book gives us perspective on the urban African American boy’s chance of success in today’s culture.

Students and colleagues, as you read this book, please share your opinion of it with me.