Adviser Academy begins with an example of the importance of yearbooks

Some laughs and a tear-jerker of a story opened the 2017 Adviser Academy in Kansas City on Monday at the Marriott on the Country Club Plaza.

Following breakfast, Susan Wuckowitsch, Adviser Academy coordinator, ran through notes for attendees, and Mike Taylor, CJE, introduced Walsworth sales reps and Marketing Department employees to help advisers get to know them.

Mike introduced the teachers – Sabrina Schmitz, CJE, Walsworth sales rep and former adviser; Lori Oglesbee, MJE, Prosper High School in Prosper, Texas, and 2009 JEA Adviser of the Year; Jim Jordan, retired adviser from Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, California, and the 1996 JEA Yearbook Adviser of the Year; and Renee Burke, MJE, Boone High School in Orlando, Florida, and the 2015 JEA Yearbook Adviser of the Year. And then Lori took the microphone to tell a story about the impact of yearbooks.

A man had called her looking for a late 1950s yearbook. She tracked one down online, but because he was not tech savvy he wanted to give her his credit card number and have her order it. Reminding him to never give out that information, she ordered it and paid for it. When the man said he would need someone to look after his wife so he could come and get it, Lori arranged for her husband to deliver it.

The man called Lori the next day to thank her. His wife had severe dementia and didn’t recognize him anymore, but with that yearbook, the couple was able to relive that year in high school.

A few tissues came out at the end of the story.

Advisers went to their sessions, taking with them another story about how important their job is in the lives of others.