Your Son’S Resume to Building It Together: A Key to Scholarships and College Admissions

By George Vogel

Parenting
Why Invest The Time?
Building your sons resume is not just about your sons future, it is about YOU and
the most rewarding exciting act of love you will most likely ever experience.
The Resume
A resume is not just an accumulation of one-liners, they are years of valuable
activities and experiences your son will not only remember and cherish but will be
the foundation to build his future upon.
You will discover how to:
Build your sons resume rather than just trying to fi nd items to include
after it is too late.
Prepare a plan for activities so your son is not overlooked or left out.
Find ways to beat the system that seems not to be in your sons favor.
Write and plan your sons road map to success.
Preparing for the future makes a
more meaningful today

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 29, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453593677

George Vogel

George Vogel brings to this book a wide background in education from being an elected school board member to teaching in public, private and correctional education systems. He has distinguished himself at the elementary and high school levels. His community involvements are many and certainly bring an expertise to this offering. George acclaims his most prestigious title as “Garrett’s Dad”.

Book preview

Copyright © 2010 by George Vogel.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2010915127

ISBN: Hardcover    978-1-4535-9366-0

ISBN: Softcover      978-1-4535-9365-3

ISBN: Ebook           978-1-4535-9367-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

86126

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Preface

About the Author

A Word from the Author

1    The System

2    Success

3    Think Résumé

4    Building upon Your Son’s Strengths

5    Planning Is the Key

6    School Perspective for Boys

7    Church

8    Scouting

9    Congressional Awards

10    Veteran’s Organizations

11    Community Organizations

12    Political Arena

13    Paid Camps and Seminars

14    Employment

15    Special Interests

16    Projects

Conclusion

Appendix

References

DEDICATION

This effort is dedicated to my mom, Pearl and my dad, Otto who was always there for me with understanding and unconditional love. To my wife Libby, the most loving and hardest working person I ever met, she allowed me to spend an inordinate amount of time with my son. To my son Garrett who I am most proud as it was and is truly a privilege and an honor to be your coach, friend and most of all father.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It would be impossible to mention all the individual teachers, coaches, friends and inspirational leaders that played important roles in the formative years of my son’s growth and maturing experience. In the writing of this book I feel it imperative to mention the following.

Valuable information and inspiration were provided by John McGinty, Headmaster Benedictine High School; Sergeant Major Bernard Branch and First Sergeant Clayton Plumley, Benedictine H.S. JROTC, Richmond, Virginia; Raymond Blackwell, Boy Scouts of America; Stan Hunter, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Scouting Team; Charles Absher, Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Virginia; Gordy Smith, American Legion, Virginia; Rev. James Lavender, Discovery United Methodist Church, Short Pump, Virginia, Paul Funke, Mountain Top, Pennsylvania (my son’s absolute favorite baseball coach); and last but not least my good friend Marion J. Valley, Chicago, Illinois.

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the fine people at Xlibris who if it were not for them this effort would have never moved from the written phase to that of actually being printed.

PREFACE

This book was written for a number of reasons:

1. To help you and your son prepare for the precollege admission process.

2. To allow your son to get the most out of these formative years and take advantage of existing programs, activities, and the experiences that go with them. Most of what I am referring to is usually not made available to our average students, but there is a way.

3. To allow me to vent much of my frustration with the entire college preparation process.

4. To share some fantastic experiences my son and I encountered. I want it known that I bring to this a strong male bias. I feel that our school classroom structure and system, in general, is slanted toward girls. As a teacher and parent, my anger continues to grow. Should you have a daughter, and can bear with my bias, the best of luck in your effort.

Well into the writing of this project, I had the honor of presenting a young lady with a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) scholarship. That night, what I viewed at the awards ceremony was no surprise, but as I rode home, I couldn’t help but think that when it comes to our male students, how slanted our schools really are. What made me feel that way?

My guess is that there were no fewer than forty scholarships announced that evening, and no more than four went to boys. We are talking about thousands of dollars to help our young people further their education, so why are our young men not dipping into that well and walking away with an equal share? When riding to and from work, I suggest you give that some thought.

As you read on and use this offering, and perhaps even use some of my ideas, I hope you can laugh with me. I’m sure at times you will be laughing at me. It is truly my desire that this book helps you and your son in the college admission process. Most of all, I hope during the process that you and your son become close, or closer, and get to know each other better.

You and your son are about to venture into an incredible journey. Happy sailing.

author pic.tif

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If asked, What has been your most rewarding experience? I would be sure to respond with Being Garrett’s dad.

Growing up as a first-generation American in an ethnic neighborhood of Chicago, both my mom (Pearl) and dad (Otto) had distinguished themselves as community leaders. I succeeded at most everything, demonstrating abilities and leadership skills in athletics, Scouting, and church, but not in school. I credit the U.S. Army and eighteen months in Vietnam with giving me an educational wake-up call.

After graduating from Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa, and twenty-five years old, I started teaching and coaching at the elementary and high school levels. During my third year of teaching, I was recognized as the first runner-up in the Illinois Outstanding Educator Competition. I was awarded a Communities Distinguished Service Award for leadership in the Jaycees, Scouting, and its local teacher’s union. At the age of twenty-eight, I was named by the Illinois State Jaycees as one of Illinois’ Outstanding Ten Young Persons.

I then moved into the trade association field, serving as everything from a governmental affairs director to an executive director for a variety of interests. Later on, I opened an advertising and consulting firm, where I published an award-winning newspaper and hosted my own TV and radio shows. I traveled all over the country, conducting training and serving as a keynote/motivational speaker.

Eventually, I returned to my first love of teaching, where I taught in a correctional facility, where I was named as an outstanding employee. I presently teach at a Richmond, Virginia, public high school.

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

Where has the time gone? I know it seems like a week ago that your baby was being born. Just a few days ago were his first days of kindergarten. Just yesterday, he started middle school. I’m now telling you that it is time to seriously start planning for the college and scholarship process.

I know that some of you are hoping your son just gets out of middle school! You feel like you’re ahead of the game because you have been thinking about your son going to high school. Now I’m telling you, you should be planning for college.

If you agree that time seems to be moving at warp speed, then it will be just a few minutes and your precious baby will be trying to get into the college of his choice. Trust me when I say time just goes by too quickly. The good news is I’m not selling insurance.

Should your child be a great student, getting mostly As and some Bs, count your blessings—you got lucky. The bad news is he is not alone; there are others out there doing just the same or better and many whose grades are so high that it makes me sick. If your child is one of those straight-A, AP students, this manual is not for you. Your kid is the enemy, so don’t read on. Just kidding.

Should your child be getting a 3.0 GPA or better, you are on your way, and this manual should help you and your son get into the college of his choice, or at least a college. There are no guarantees. Don’t forget for a second that you are in this thing together. It is you and your son against the world—all those other students who are going to take your son’s seat in the school of his choice. You must be prepared to do more than just pay the bills.

If your precious one is like my son, who was unable to play the algebra and geometry game, didn’t like most of his