slideshow

“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”

My boss ends each of her emails to us with that quote, attributed to both John Maxwell and William Arthur Ward. As regional editor for Civitas Media, she supplies leadership to NUMBER OF newspapers in South Carolina, including The Union Daily Times, The Newberry Observer and The Herald Independent. I think the paper has improved since she took over last fall, thanks to her leadership.

Last Thursday, I attended the open house and ribbon cutting for the collaboration between MTC and FCHS. During that event, I heard talks from the president of the college, from the superintendent of Fairfield County Schools and from other officials. Then senior Sierra Robinson stepped to the mike and made some remarks. She displayed this same kind of transformative thinking that is aimed at making things better right here, right now, in Fairfield County instead of passively waiting on the world to change.

She envisioned the greatest of Fairfield High School students taking courses at the Student Success Center. That is a forward thinking view, but it is one worth re-emphasizing because those students can set an example for the labor force in this county which has the MTC QuickJobs center at its disposal— right now.

Updating skills sets can be one way to trim one’s personal “sail” and lead to the path that will result in permanent employment. I spoke with County Council Chairman David Ferguson at the MTC open house. The MTC center for student success is 12 years in the making, an extension of the quick jobs center. Ferguson said he gets criticized sometimes for continuing to bring up that the center is underutilized. He said he will keep on mentioning it until people finally decide to go into the center and fill the classes to capacity.

Mr. Ferguson, a retired educator at the career center, often has his voice heard at council meetings and other public forums. This month, as we begin to acknowledge local leaders, particularly local African American leaders, I wanted to extend the same courtesy to Sierra Robinson, a young lady with a hopeful view of Fairfield County’s future.

Kevin Boozer is a staff writer for The Herald Independent. He can be contacted at kboozer@civitasmedia.com or 635-4016 ext. 14.