“Education” is on everyone’s list of solutions these days. The Papers are full of stories. Most are about Football, Homecoming Queens, Clubs off to some event, or fundraising effort. It seems to me that what the articles and stories should focus on, in City Councilman Trey Chinn’s words, should be “educating” and not “education”.

To help educate our students, an idea about ramping up the JCJC Math Bowl was presented to the college some months ago. It is interesting how many people who hear about it say that the concept rings too true. The most important “people” was the JCJC Academic Dean. He likes it and said, “Let’s go!”.

Taylorsville High-Runnerup

The ramping up begins this month at the JCJC Advanced Technology Center off Interstate 59. It will have basically the same format as last year. This year a new concept for next year will be introduced. It is hoped that the competition can be ramped up so as to focus more clearly the importance of math and science in our schools.  That involves ‘educating’!

Businesses that were approached all felt the same way. They all need top quality employees who can read, write, do math, speak clearly, take good care of customers and clients- employees who have a quality education that meets the needs of business. Each one of these fine businesses believes that high quality academics are the major key to promote economic development in our region.

The concept is a simple one. Can JCJC help create an environment in our High Schools where high quality math scores, determined by team facing team competition, get the same degree of credit in having a great school as a winning football team gets? Just imagine what might happen if a high school math teacher was given the same incentive, tools, publicity, energy, parental support, and school system support with the budget as the football coach?

The entire issue has its foundation in our teacher corps. Where are those special teachers who, if given the tools and incentive to spend the extra time and energy to teach math skills at the same level a top quality football coach teaches his subject? Where are those students who want to learn math and show how good they are at it.

This year there will be some valuable rewards for being a winner. First State Bank, Magnolia Bank, Richton Bank and Trust, Community Bank, and Mike Foil, Architect are funding some exciting incentive for the participants to work hard and be crowned as the Math Team of the Region.  How does that sound to college recruiters?  We are dealing with scholarships for being smart now and extra training will work.

This program is not so much about good schools, as it is about economic development. How can we solve the problems in ALL our communities unless we educate our students well? Economic Development in our region depends on having schools that have great academic ratings. We’ll never get a Toyota plant here without them. 

If you have a comment, make one.