President's Perspective

February 2015 

 

By Allen Kennedy

KSBA President

 

This publication is aptly named, The Kentucky School Advocate. We are and must continue to be the advocates for Kentucky’s kids.

 

What does a true advocate do? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines advocacy as the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal, the act or process of advocating something. Advocacy encompasses all aspects of life, such as fulfilling responsibilities as a school board member, family member, or leader/member in your church, civic or community organization, or any other venture you may be involved in. As school board members, we actively support many causes that will provide a better opportunity for our kids to be successful in their chosen career and life in general.

 

There are three important characteristics we must focus on to be a successful advocate.

 

We must be available for the cause. This means we are willing to be obedient and actively contribute to the process, even if it’s just to encourage others as they perform their work. In many voluntary service groups, the active contribution is referred to as “sweat equity.” In many cases, the success of a cause is directly related to the number of participants.

 

We need to be supportive when the need arises. In all cases, our input is very important and being present and directly communicating with others during the advocacy process is a critical issue. The old saying, “Let George do it” doesn’t work. The kids of Kentucky are counting on us to provide better opportunities for their future; to make that happen, we must be dependable.

 

In being adaptable, our No. 1 priority is to focus on providing better opportunities for the kids. We need to be open to the process, stand up for what we believe, and always look for better ways and new ideas to be successful in accomplishing our goals for children.

 

I would like to thank school board members individually for your leadership, service and dedication to your communities and especially for improving the opportunities for the kids of Kentucky. I also would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve as president of KSBA. I was taught as a youngster many years ago that there are things we can’t control in life, but the one thing we can control is how hard we work to reach our goals and objectives. I will continue to work relentlessly for the kids of Kentucky and for the 173 districts KSBA serves.

 

As an organization serving your needs, we are always receptive to your input and suggestions for improving our services to your district and ultimately providing a positive result to the children of Kentucky. Thank you for contributing to the advancement of Kentucky schools to the next level of success for our kids.