This morning I made a 70 mile bike ride to the nearest town with internet access to express my support of WSDP. I can honestly say that the trip I made this morning, or the trip I made last year to Zambia as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer, would not have happened without the time and experience I had as a student at WSDP. My experience at WSDP, and how it has served me, is similar to many other students who had the opportunity to work at the station. Alumni that leave the station do not necessarily go on to have careers in radio broadcasting, in fact, I would say that only a small percentage do. But, the skills that are fostered and nurtured at the station are one's that serve all of its students wherever they go and whatever they do in this world. To me, the stations greatest gift to the students is the opportunity to create and collaborate. When talking about the future for our state, and what our students need to be successful, I hear both of these qualities mentioned from politicians from both sides of the aisle.
For the past eight months I have been working as a Public Health Volunteer in rural Zambia. I face daily challenges to educate my villagers on subjects of malaria, HIV/AIDS, child health, and food security. As with most rewarding jobs, it's challenging. But, what makes this job challenging and not impossible are skills I obtained from my education from the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, and largely, WSDP. The most rewarding part of my service has been working with members of my village. To work and learn in conjunction with them in attempts to improve the public health of our area is a profound experience. The opportunity to
work and learn from people that are different than me is not a new experience, though. This I learned at WSDP.
Thank you for the opportunity for allowing me to share my thoughts. My time at WSDP allowed me to see how thoughtful and passionate our district’s school board is in providing our area the best public education possible. No matter the outcome of the 2011/2012 budget, I will
be confident that the decisions were made for best way to safeguard our community’s strong public education foundation.
Sincerely,
Scott G. Decker
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Making Something from Nothing
A few words in support of WSDP.
On Dec. 19, 1980, history teacher Scott Beaman noticed me in the Plymouth Salem library, and asked what I was doing. My answer was, “nothing.”
In fact, “nothing” was my outlook in life. High school Junior: unmotivated, mediocre grades, no athlete or musician or artisan of any kind. Just one of hundreds upon hundreds at PCEP in that category.
Mr. Beaman (you can't call him anything but “Mr. Beaman”) looked at me for a moment and replied, “Follow me.” He left me in the WSDP general manager's office with Jeffrey Cardinal, John Seidelman, and Kathy Allen — all faculty members with formal duties at the radio station. I don't know what Mr. Beaman saw in me, other than a b-s'er, and perhaps that fits for the broadcasting profession. But they handed me a long roll of yellow UPI wire copy and told me to edit it and read it for an audition.
The next school year I was WSDP's news director. The year after that, I was working professionally in news radio, and 30 years later, I am a television news anchor in Florida.
I still have that UPI wire copy, now faded to a pale brown, still hastily marked up with my almost-juvenile pencil scrawls. A reminder that a high school radio station that some consider an extravagance, was absolutely vital to providing me a direction, a career, a life.
All of us who support WSDP recognize school board members have tough choices to make. None of us believe you would blithely cut funds for this program. But as you consider the difficult alternatives in front of you, please keep in mind the fact that WSDP has enormous practical value, that sometimes can only be measured in the lives of people like me — proof that you can make something out of nothing.
David Snyder
WSDP ‘82
On Dec. 19, 1980, history teacher Scott Beaman noticed me in the Plymouth Salem library, and asked what I was doing. My answer was, “nothing.”
In fact, “nothing” was my outlook in life. High school Junior: unmotivated, mediocre grades, no athlete or musician or artisan of any kind. Just one of hundreds upon hundreds at PCEP in that category.
Mr. Beaman (you can't call him anything but “Mr. Beaman”) looked at me for a moment and replied, “Follow me.” He left me in the WSDP general manager's office with Jeffrey Cardinal, John Seidelman, and Kathy Allen — all faculty members with formal duties at the radio station. I don't know what Mr. Beaman saw in me, other than a b-s'er, and perhaps that fits for the broadcasting profession. But they handed me a long roll of yellow UPI wire copy and told me to edit it and read it for an audition.
The next school year I was WSDP's news director. The year after that, I was working professionally in news radio, and 30 years later, I am a television news anchor in Florida.
I still have that UPI wire copy, now faded to a pale brown, still hastily marked up with my almost-juvenile pencil scrawls. A reminder that a high school radio station that some consider an extravagance, was absolutely vital to providing me a direction, a career, a life.
All of us who support WSDP recognize school board members have tough choices to make. None of us believe you would blithely cut funds for this program. But as you consider the difficult alternatives in front of you, please keep in mind the fact that WSDP has enormous practical value, that sometimes can only be measured in the lives of people like me — proof that you can make something out of nothing.
David Snyder
WSDP ‘82
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