Working with Super Heroes

One of my goals as President of VTAHPERD is to try to get new blood onto the Executive Board.  I really believe the more people we have taking a very active role in the direction we’re heading, the better our association. 

I think it’s great that we have had past V.P.’s who have done it during several tenures.  They are valued members who have brought many ideas and programs that have helped VTAHPERD grow.  There are also professionals who have never held any Executive Board position who are exactly what we need to move even further forward.

I have the distinct pleasure of working with real life super heroes on my board.  None of these people had ever held a post in VTAHPERD before.  Some I had just met during the 2006 Conference.

I could see early on there was something special with the Board I was working with.  Our first board meeting got off to a great start.  People were bringing wonderful ideas on how to develop a successful conference.

Our second Elect Board meeting was to have every member bring a list of all the presenters they found at that point.  I ineptly started to try to develop an arrangement of who we had and when they could present when all of a sudden, V.P. for Dance, Louise Deguise, grabbed it from my hands, jumped up on the table we were working at and spun around so fast, she was just a blur.   Suddenly she stopped.  On her chest was the letter “P”.  Louise became, THE PROGRAMMER.  Her hand moved at twice the speed of sound setting off a bang in the restaurant as she swiftly arranged our speakers in neat rows according to categories of topics.  The conference was getting off to a fantastic start.

V.P. for Physical Education, Doug Day, then stood up, ran into what might be the last phone booth found in Vermont and came out wearing a red cape.  He flew back to our table and stated, “There’s no need to fear, Entertainment Man is here.”  I knew right at that moment, Thursday night’s social event was saved.

Not to be outdone, Student Rep, Scott Graner, started to kick with his feet and chop with his hands, and soon he morphed into the Ninja Presider.  Presenters will now have people to introduce them in each session, with Scott’s quick moves.

Mild mannered V.P. for Health, Trish O’Regan, took off her glasses put her hand on her hip and stood up looking ever so confident making it very apparent as to who she was.  Trish was really Audio Video (AV) Woman.  For the rest of the Conference, never did we miss a video screen or extension cord.  AV Woman was on the job.

Finally, the ring of Super Heroes was complete when everyone turned and smiled at V.P. for Recreation, Paula Bliss, who stood up with the rest of  the super people and told me that she is the Killington Connector.  If ever (which happened often), communication or change between us and the Resort needed to be done, Paula was on the job.
If things couldn’t get any better to the success of this years conference, Janice Lang’s super powers came to light, as the person who could answer any question that might have slowed us down for any reason.  Janice was, THE DIRECTOR, making sure our tasks were being done by all in a timely and correct way.

And so, thanks to the ring of super heroes the 2007 VTAHPERD Conference was saved for yet another year.

I am very much looking forward to this year’s group of Super Heroes developing the 2008 version of the Conference.

Getting back to my opening remark, I’m looking for anyone who would like to serve a  member of the Grants Committee. Another person to be our Council for Convention.  The next Board meeting is Monday Feb. 25th at Essex Middle School.  Any interested party can email me ( cpolakowski@etsd.org ) about any of the above.

Chris Polakowski – President - VTHAPERD