Upcoming Service Opportunities
Recycling Center - Saturday, November 19th
Salvation Army Bell Ringing - Saturday, December 3rd
Joseph's Coat - On going 

General News                                                                                                                   

Welcome to our newest member, Dr. Janet Philipp, President of Dana College.  Please see the August 29th newsletter for information on Janet.  

Please submit your nominations for the Service Above Self Award to Mick Mines by November 1st.  The award will be presented on November 15th.

A sign up sheet will be available at club meetings to help at Joseph's Coat.  Please check your schedules and be prepared to sign up for a time and date.  Any time that you might have to volunteer will be appreciated. Also, you are encouraged to bring along food for the food pantry when you work at the store.  Please remember this is a club sponsored project and will count as a make-up if you volunteer to help out.

In addition to helping out at the store, Joseph's Coat is also looking for volunteers to help with delivery of items.  If you have the ability to help please contact LuAnne Patak.

Club members are reminded they can do make-ups on the web:  http://www.rotaryeclub7890.org/makeup.htm

Notes from the October 18th Meeting - Program Chair - Steve Shanahan

Guest speakers for the day were Karen Gengenbach, Director of Guidance for the Blair Public Schools and Tom Anderson, Blair High School Principal.  Karen and Tom have both been with the school district for many years, Karen has served 23 years and Tom 11. Karen and Tom talked about a number of trends in Blair High School Students as indicated below.

Curriculum - nationally the recommended high school curriculum includes 4 years of English, 3 years of math, 3 years of science and 3 years of social studies.  The Blair High requirements are similar with the only difference being a 2 year requirement in science. However, statistics show that nearly 80% of students meet the national standards. The change to a block schedule several years ago has resulted in an increase in the number of courses students are taking which has helped to increase this percentage. 

ACT - at the end of the junior year between 70 and 80% of Blair High School students take the ACT test.  The test is a guide to competency in various academic areas and is used by colleges and universities for admission.  Blair students typically score higher than both the state and national average on the composite ACT score.  Last year, for example, the Blair average was 22.8, Nebraska was 21.8 and nationally the average was 20.9.

Co-Curricular - between 70 and 80% of Blair High School students are involved in some type of co-curricular activity.  This involvement is encouraged by high school administrators because statistics show that students participating in activities are more likely to be successful.  

Graduates - the majority (83%) of Blair High School students go on to a college.  There has been an increasing number of students attending community colleges, driven by cost, marketing by the community colleges and the students' uncertainty of career path.  Intended majors for students are typically in the area of education, health science and business management.

Rotary Question of the Week

What are some of the ethical guidelines for Rotarians as established by the Rotary International Council on Legislation?

Rotary Fact of the Week (from  the RI Website)

The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions was adopted by the Rotary International Council on Legislation in 1989 to provide more specific guidelines for the high ethical standards called for in the Object of Rotary:

As a Rotarian engaged in a business or profession, I am expected to:

• Consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve;
• Be faithful to the letter and to the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country, and to the moral standards of my community;
• Do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation;
• Be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public, and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship;
• Recognize the honor and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society;
• Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community;
• Adhere to honesty in my advertising and in all representations to the public concerning my business or profession;
• Neither seek from nor grant to a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship.

 Thought of the Week

"Nobody will believe in you unless you believe in yourself." Liberace
 

October Birthdays
Tom Sternberg, 1st 

SERVICE Above Self!