THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605220170
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: THUMBS UP!
SOURCE: BY KATHRYN DARLING, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 80 lines
Before David Hayes became a student resource coordinator, Norfolk's Norview High School was like most other schools: Administrators kept to their offices and students kept to the halls.
Now, says the school's principal, Marjorie Stealey, there are always students going in and out of the administration offices.
She said students hang out so much at Hayes' office that she puts two chairs in front of it to accommodate them.
Hayes, a resident of Chesapeake, said his role at Norview is to ``facilitate between teachers, students and the community.''
For his work, Hayes has been named the 1996 City of Norfolk outstanding employee of the year by the Civitan Club.
Hayes' position has allowed him to develop students, Stealey said.
``He has tapped that magic in kids that can be developed into leaders,'' she said.
Under his guidance, Norview students have learned skills such as how to lead meetings, give workshops to peers and adults, write vision statements and set goals and develop strategies to meet those goals.
The students are even training other students, from the fourth grade to the 11th grade, to replace them.
Hayes developed a leadership council that gave students a voice in how they are governed and, he said, at Norview that voice goes farther than at most schools. They are decision makers. They help write instructional goals.
Hayes has had a real-world influence on the students. Jamie Krenek, a senior who wants to open her own art studio someday, said, ``If I hadn't had a lot of training from coach Hayes, I wouldn't be as willing to embrace the prospect of starting my own business or of being the one in charge.''
Part of his job, Hayes said, is looking out for the needs of the kids. Another part is ``connecting the kids with the community and the community to the school.''
Hayes, who was a football and track coach and is now a golf coach, does that with enthusiasm.
According to Stealy he's a ``mover and a shaker . . . a self-directed catalyst for action.''
Hayes now directs one of the programs he started: Learning While Serving. The program sends students out into the community as volunteers. The program was part of the reason Norview High School was named this spring as one of Redbook magazine's top 20 schools in the nation for classroom innovation, Hayes said.
Students who participate in Learning While Serving commit to 50 hours of volunteer service. Football players participate by tutoring fifth-graders at Tanners' Creek Elementary. Some students volunteer in a field they want to pursue as a career. Others have organized fund-raising drives for charities like Operation Smile.
Norview High Students have given more than 5,000 hours back to the community, Hayes said.
Hayes' influence also has increased the community's involvement with the school through Partners in Education. In the program, businesses and community groups provide resources and tutoring and even collaborate on workshops and other presentations. Two years ago, Partners in Education had only two members. Now it has 18.
K and W cafeteria has provided luncheons, and Navy work groups have participated in social studies, English and science classes. The GM-Youth Education System, also known as GM-YES, has donated cars and equipment to the vocational program and has donated and loaned equipment for math teachers to teach applied math principles.
``We are working very hard to tie the community back together. To make the churches and the school the anchor of the community,'' Hayes said.
One of the primary ways he has done that is through PACE, the city's police assisted community enforcement program. Hayes has been a member of PACE teams since the program began five years ago. Now, even Norview High School students are involved in PACE community work. Students also have given workshops to police officers, ministers and civic leaders.
``As student resource coordinator, Coach is a positive role model for students,'' said Leadership Council chairman Tommy Smigiel.
A few days ago, he said, some students were discussing who would replace Hayes if he ever took another job. They couldn't think of anyone.
``He's the perfect person for the job,'' Smigiel said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY C. KNAPP
David Hayes enjoys directing the student resource volunteer program
at Norview High. by CNB