Originally posted on C2 Education Blog
A Letter to Our Readers from C2 Education’s President and CEO David Kim
I never imagined that I would one day feel like Cinderella attending the ball – but there I was at the White House on a Thursday evening, waiting to be announced to a room full of dignitaries gathered to honor South Korean President Lee Myung-bok. It has been over two weeks since the state dinner, yet I still wake up each morning seeing the world through a red, white, and blue film.
As I walked up to the entrance of the East Wing, the sound of the Marine orchestra playing Bach drifted over the crowd, accompanied by the din of cameras shuttering and flashes sparkling. My heart was pounding as I tried to maintain my composure and my ready-to-meet-the-President smile. I was determined to put my best foot forward as I prepared to mingle with the esteemed guests of the State Dinner. And if, by chance, I had a moment with the President, I was ready to grab the opportunity with both hands.
As I entered the lobby of the East Wing, one of the first people to approach me was a man in full military regalia who introduced himself to me as Marty. We enjoyed a few moments of pleasant conversation which ultimately led to our respective careers. I told Marty that I was the head of C2 Education and innocently inquired about his work. Imagine my surprise when he nonchalantly replied, “Oh, I’m the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
When General “Marty” Dempsey was called away I continued speaking with his lovely wife, Deanie. A bit shaken by my encounter with one of the most influential men in the country, I asked Deanie about her prior experiences with formal White House dinners in hopes that she might have some advice for me. She told me that her biggest surprise when attending the state dinner for German Chancellor Angela Merkel was that the seating arrangements are intentionally designed to split couples up, often by seating partners at different tables or by seating several people between them. This is done to encourage conversation so that the attendees might learn from one another, creating a greater sense of conviviality for the nation’s guests.
This strategy apparently works, as evidenced by the healthy buzz of conversation throughout the evening. During dinner, I enjoyed a wonderful conversation with Ms. Liza Gilbert, the wife of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Shaun Donovan. Ms. Gilbert and I spoke at length about differing approaches to education. Both Mr. Donovan and Ms. Gilbert are highly intelligent, gifted, and well-educated individuals, traits which they hope to develop in their own children. Ms. Gilbert wishes to encourage creativity in her children, a trait she feels is sadly overlooked in today’s hyper-competitive schools. Like many parents throughout the country, she recognizes the reality of competition in our school system even as she laments the over-structuring and stress that such an education necessarily causes. Our conversation mirrored many of the concerns I hear from C2 Education’s parents and it was a pleasure debate various solutions with such a bright and creative mind.
Ms. Gilbert was just one of many people with whom I enjoyed wonderful conversation. I spoke at great length with Roger Brown and Linda Mason, an incredibly interesting, unique, and successful couple who founded Bright Horizons, an employer-sponsored childcare network. Mr. Brown and Ms. Mason have travelled the world performing good deeds; their travels inspired them to found a company which would be not only profitable but also socially conscious, a company which helps thousands of people to balance careers and families.
Over the course of the evening, I had amazing discussions with people from incredibly diverse backgrounds – from the president and CEO of Eli Lilly to celebrity chef David Chang. Each of the people I spoke with demonstrated admirable passion for their various fields, leaving me in awe of the many brilliant minds contributing to the greatness of our country.
Nothing, however, really prepared me for meeting President Obama. As I waited in the greeting line, my legs were shaking. I looked ahead and saw Citizen Number One of our country: A man who stood tall with honor, pride, and humility. As I was whisked through the greeting line, I came upon the President. He shook my hand in a firm but gentle way – a far cry from the super strong grips you see in corporate America. I stared mutely until the President said, “David it’s wonderful to have you here tonight. So you’re in education?” I replied, “Yes. Yes, I am, and I have lot of thoughts on education policy.” I was thankful that my voice did not waver with nerves. “Oh,” he jovially replied, “I’ll have to introduce you to Arne Duncan!” I tightened my grip on his hand and placed my left over his like a vise, reluctant to end my encounter with a man I so greatly admire, but sadly I whisked down the line far too quickly. I think this brief encounter is the most inspiring moment I have had since I was a young boy going to my first Orioles game. I believe every young person should have such an opportunity to be inspired and motivated. (And, by the way, Mr. President, I’m still waiting for that introduction to Arne Duncan!)
I am forever looking for life lessons to share with the C2 Education community, and on this particular evening my thoughts kept returning to a single idea: The importance of strong communication skills. My evening at the White House was a study in verbal communication. Whether I was making small talk with a General, discussing policy with a Congressman, or greeting the leader of the free world, I drew on every conversational skill I had ever learned to make the night a success.
When I think of our students, I worry about whether they will gain the communication skills necessary to one day participate in similar events. Students often wonder aloud about why their obviously sadistic teachers would assign arduous term papers or research reports; after all, they reason, what are the odds that their boss will one day ask them for a 5 page paper on the fall of the Roman Empire? But strong communication skills begin with writing. Not all great writers are great speakers, and not all great speakers are great writers, but the two forms of communication rely on many of the same skills: a well-developed vocabulary, strong reasoning and analysis skills, and an ability to organize one’s thoughts in a logical manner.
Only 1 in 4 graduating seniors are proficient writers. We can’t assume that our students will become better writers in college because, as the bookAcademically Adrift points out, over 1/3 of students show no knowledge gains after 4 years in college. Regardless of whether these students enter careers which require writing, all of them will need to engage in intelligent discourse with co-workers and superiors. One day, your child will put on his best suit and go off for a job interview. He will have dinner with his boss, have cocktails with a potential client, and maybe even meet the President of the United States of America. But will he be able to impress?
Students must realize the importance of communication in order to achieve success as adults. The best way to build strong communication skills is to learn to write well – and the best way to learn how to write is to practice. It is our fervent hope that each of our students will rise to greatness and we consider it our duty to prepare them.
