THe ToUrisTs

All Of u S Benef IT frOM A c A rInG GuIDe

During the past few years, we’ve visited quite a few colleges, preparing last year for our oldest’s decision and now giving our youngest a taste of what’s out there.

Speaking as the first in my family to attend college and as someone who didn’t visit the school I attended until it was too late to get into another one, these visits are a strangely numbing process.

There’s excitement, of course, about choosing a new home, and yet confusion and concern about making a mistake selecting the place where many of life’s crucial decisions could be formed, as if it’s possible to make the “right” life decision at 18 anyway.

Surprisingly, if you visit enough four-year colleges, the places start to run together. Public or private, expensive or not, many have or are building state-of-the-art student centers. And competition for students has spawned a surprising number of climbing walls, spin-class rooms, sushi restaurants and big-screen TVs — even many of the least expensive four-year colleges remind me of a cross between a sports bar and a cruise ship.

So after visiting lots of schools and trying, unsuccessfully for the most part, to view each spot through our potential student’s eyes, my wife and I concluded that there’s one thing that ultimately separates one school from another: the tour guide.

That’s right: A decision involving perhaps a hundred thousand dollars in educational “value” can boil down to whether a volunteer student tour guide was funny, entertaining, smart or simply a block-head.

In our travels, the schools judged most deficient were the ones that trotted out the most bored and disinterested tour guides, kids who acted (and sometimes even told us) they were a little too important to be leading a tour.

In fact, one tour guide spent a good portion of a 90-minute tour telling us repeatedly she wished they hadn’t called her in, but she was the only one in town and she wished she was still sleeping off the party from last night and this was a presumably high-achieving student at one of the country’s most highly rated private schools.

And the schools judged best by our sons? Often, it boiled down to tour guides who were enthusiastic, helpful and engaged. People who cared. People who went out of their way to make kids they’d never see again feel welcome, wanted and important. It wasn’t that they were the best advocates for their schools’ academics; it was that they were the most caring.

As it turns out, that same idea applies to stu- dents featured in this month’s cover story. Many of them won’t be attending expensive colleges; in fact, most weren’t even on track to graduate from high school not long ago.

But if you read these stories, you’ll find there’s a “tour guide” of sorts who took an interest in these students, someone who helped guide them from almost certain failure to almost certain success.

D is T ri BUT ion p H/214.560.4203 a DV er T ising p H/214.560.4203 advertising coordinator: JUDY Li L es

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Jennifer T H omas Voss

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Someone — a teacher, a relative, a friend, a volunteer — convinced these students that their lives have value, that their efforts to succeed won’t be in vain, that if they focused their energy on accomplishments instead of bad breaks, they could break a cycle of misfortune and make something out of their lives.

Those of us who have been around awhile know that success in life isn’t as simple as just influencing someone in a positive direction. But for the most part, that’s where success begins. Most of us need a push from time to time, and it doesn’t take an expert to do the deed — it only takes someone who cares.

That’s how these teens found their way in life. And without an enthusiastic tour guide somewhere along the line, many of us wouldn’t be where we are today, either.

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Marathon Headaches

This year, the White Rock Marathon put out signs along the course a week in advance reminding people along the route of the event [Advocate Back Talk Blog, “Another marathon in the ‘hood. This one? Not so good”, April 11]. This should be the standard. I think most people like the events if they aren’t a surprise. Also, if that were a requirement it might weed out some of the smaller events. —JD

I am generally very supportive of the various races that go through our neighborhood, and I think it’s one of the things that makes our area unique. But the frequency of events has gotten unbearable, as has the routing. Mockingbird and Skillman are six-lane roads, and there’s no reason why all three lanes in one direction should be closed, especially for an event as marginal and sparsely supported as the Big D Marathon. —JAMES

PARKER

[The Big D] marathon is not necessary. Dallas already has a world-class marathon in December. Between that, the numerous half marathons and bike tours, this just adds to the congestion on Sunday mornings. I couldn’t get to Interstate 30 from my house without going around the lake at noon on Sunday. There should be a limit to the number of events that go through our neighborhoods. —ANN

Woodrow International Baccalaureate Program Approved

It’s an extensive and arduous process to earn IB accreditation. Woodrow and another high school in Germany were approved last week. The rigorous coursework is not for everyone. But at Woodrow, everyone is welcome. —FRED

As a former Woodrow student, class of ’68, I am so proud of the Wildcats. Woodrow’s parents and teachers have always excelled in their support of the curriculum and students. Students were taught that achievement wasn’t a choice but a requirement. Way to go! —LINDA

COX

the city to do [“Trashy Birthday”, April Advocate]. I am impressed. Who knows, this could catch on and become the next big thing for kids’ birthday parties all over the East Dallas.

—BARBARA SMITH

A huge thank you to the City of Dallas for making this possible and to the Advocate for stopping by and sharing the city’s contribution.

—ROB

LAKEWOOD YARN BOMBER

How about knitting some sweaters for people in need [Advocate Back Talk blog, “Yarn bomber attacks Lakewood”, March 29]? This is like Gallagher sledge-hammering perfectly good food while people go hungry. Pointless and a waste.

—JEREMY

Shows how much you know. KWitta and her crew made 1,600-plus baby hats for Parkland hospital in 2010 alone. That doesn’t include lots of other charity knitting. Lighten up a little and let some people have fun. —ANN

How wonderful to have a new art form being presented in Lakewood. I live near Austin and believe me, there will be lots of people here who wish they had thought up the idea and carried it out. We all need to smile more and this is a great way to coax a smile from those determined to be a grouch. Hope the idea spreads and that you keep us up on other neat new endeavors. —B.J.

Yarn graffiti has been in Austin for years, man.

—SKEpTIc1

Awesome! Love this! Saw the pole in front of the library, and snapped a picture to show my students right away. I taught a little knitting class at J.L. Long last year, but I’m a novice myself. Anybody interested in helping? If so, contact me at J.L. Long, 972.502-4700. If we had a knitter to help out, we could have ourselves our own yarnattack cell over here.

pHILOMENA JONES