Earlier this month, I made the trip up home to Delaware to celebrate the retirement and 36 year career of Paul Parets, director of bands at Alexis I. duPont High School and my former high school band director. At the gathering of several hundred at A.I.'s football stadium, the love from the more than three and a half decades of Tiger Band alumni, parents, friends, and supporters was clearly evident.
I've told Mr. Parets this, but he is a large part of the reason I'm in the field of student affairs. His work with the band was as simple as it was risky, as perfect as it was nonsensical to many: Simply put, he let the students run the band. The leadership each year was the senior class, and that group of students made decisions including repertoire, trips, and more, while truly having the opportunity to serve as leaders to their peers. It was my experience as a leader within that organization, as well as excellent role modeling by Mr. Parets, that started me on the path that would ultimately lead to my career.
At the ceremony, Mr. Parets spoke relatively little; most spoke to, for, and about him. But in his brief remarks, he speaks volumes to the value of education:
(I suggest you listen to, not watch, the video, which was er, masterfully captured by my 14 month old daughter)
