Among the societal curve-balls being thrown nowadays courtesy of our national and global economy is the question of education. 

Yes, in the chaos of today’s headlines, education has actually become a question. 

NBC Nightly News posed it a few weeks ago: “Is a college degree even worth it anymore?”

The issues:

• 250,000 recent college graduates are jobless.
• College tuition has increased 600% more than rising inflation since 1980.
• College loan debt has hit $1 trillion, and for the first time, there is now more student loan debt than credit card debt.
• Two-thirds of college graduates have student loans, with an average debt of $24,000 upon graduation.

Ouch, ouch and double-ouch. 

Despite the pain of it all, the very idea of throwing our hands up and questioning whether education is even worth it creates a tremendous disservice.

The fact is, education – at least the right kind of education – is more essential than ever, but you can’t be stuck in auto-pilot throughout the process of receiving it.  What’s more, institutions of higher learning can’t be auto-piloting the process of providing it. 

Here are some core observations, as I see them:

First, degree programs from “designer” institutions – those that charge tens of thousands in tuition per year at least somewhat predicated on their brand-name – must be aggressive about earning their keep with their students and alumni.

In the good old days, hefty private-institution degrees not only opened entry-level job doors in the most elite organizations, but they also practically paved the commute to work in greenbacks for freshly minted 23-year-olds. 

Now . . . not so much.  More and more stories are emerging of graduates with $100K+ in student loan debt from fairly prestigious schools (a veritable life sentence when melded with car, home and life expenses long-term), scrounging out low-paying whatever-they-can-get and living with Mom.

Secondly, students of whatever means – from affluent to financially challenged – need to take ownership of their learning with a purposeful sense of, “what must I get out of my educational experience, and what do I need to do MYSELF to make sure that happens?”  Take ownership.

This approach requires a fundamental shift away from a passive, osmosis-like assumption that a college campus automatically confers a certain standard of knowledge, to an uber-engaged reality-check:  Quality education is all about knowing what you don’t know and assuming a sizable level of responsibility yourself to fix it. 

Classes, teachers/professors, texts, learning tools and all of those things are merely tools in the process that students themselves need to apply with gusto to take them where they want to go. 

That last part about knowing where you’re going is pretty important, too, particularly in context of the skills that tomorrow’s economy demands and the level of job competition that exists globally.

Translated: that poetry degree might have worked for you 30 years ago to get some job other than teaching, publishing or writing poetry (which is fine if that’s in fact what you want to do), but today, the limitations of non-work-skill-based degrees are overwhelming.  College freshmen:  choose a major wisely.

And as a side note to that point, people who go to school (particularly graduate school) for no compelling reason other than as a job-market avoidance strategy pay for their mistakes – big. 

Finally, high-quality community and technical colleges are becoming the community superstars for thousands of people – young and not young – to hitch their wagons to.  That’s certainly the case in East Tennessee.  These institutions have become dynamic and nimble in creating educational programs that fit the needs of their local job markets, and they are ever-evolving to change as the market changes so that new students and returning students can be prepared. 

Students and the parents who guide them need to be getting good advice.  Education is an investment, rife with risks if decision-making is poor.  The economy has created a situation where customers need to be astute before navigating the educational marketplace. 

Knoxville, Tenn. – Several months since severely damaging wind and hail storms swept through East Tennessee, many homeowners are finally getting their homes – and in some cases, their lives – back to normal. 

However, for one segment of homeowners who are still awaiting full payments from their insurance companies, the process of being made whole continues to linger.

With East Tennessee home-damage claimants numbering in the tens of thousands following the storms, there may be thousands of homeowners who have not reached an appropriate settlement that they believe holds true to their original insurance company contract.

“In my experience, the majority of insurance claims are handled appropriately, but a significant number are not,” said Catastrophic Claims Consultants (CCC), LLC, President David R. Charles, a 32-year veteran of the insurance industry who has worked scores of major disasters in the U.S. since 1977, including the 1994 Northridge Earthquake in California, Hurricanes Andrew, Ike, and Katrina, and the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorist attack.

According to Charles, the company is seeing several areas of Greater Knoxville in particular where some homeowners feel they are not receiving proper insurance settlements.  For example, CCC’s staff often manages client situations where a homeowner only receives an insurance payment to repair part of their roof, when in fact the entire roof was damaged in a storm.

“For homeowners who don’t have a positive experience, they can be left with little recourse to restore their home to its pre-storm condition – which is generally the underlying promise of any homeowner insurance contract,” Charles said. 

Public insurance adjusters negotiate on behalf of homeowners and policyholders to make sure the insurance company fulfills its obligations.

“If we find that a homeowner has not received a fair settlement or if their insurance company is waffling on what they will pay, we aggressively pursue proper compensation – again, in keeping with the insurance contract,” Charles said.  “We also help our clients prepare and protect themselves in the event of future damage or catastrophe.”

According to Charles, there generally is low awareness about the role public adjusters can play to help homeowners negotiate an insurance settlement they are entitled to receive. In addition, the industry also has its share of bad actors. 

“In any local area that has experienced a disaster, we often hear of contractors – primarily roofers – reaching out to homeowners and offering to negotiate with the insurance company on their behalf,” Charles said.  “Not only is this practice unethical but it is also illegal in the state of Tennessee. Homeowners often do not know the illegal nature of this sales pitch when they are confronted with it by contractors and how it can put them at risk.”

Catastrophic Claims Consultants advises Knoxville area property owners to follow several key steps when considering how a public adjuster can help them:

1. Understand the role of a public insurance adjuster before engaging anyone to provide these services on your behalf. 

• Avoid individuals who offer these services when doing so poses any conflict of interest, such as providing the construction services based on their own assessment of damages and negotiations with the insurance company.
• Also, avoid any company that dives right into demanding more money from the insurance company without conducting its own objective assessment of the property damage and whether additional compensation from the insurance company is even merited. 

       2. Check for credentials, such as licensure in the state of Tennessee. 

       3. Beware of firms that demand up-front fees for services, regardless of the outcome they
            negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company.  Public adjusters work purely on a
            contingency basis, ensuring that the homeowner does not pay anything unless he or she
            receives some form of settlement.

       4. Maintain reasonable expectations.  The purpose of a public adjuster is not to turn a 
            previous $200,000 home prior to a disaster into a $300,000 home following a
           disaster.  The focus of both the homeowner and the adjuster should always be on
           restoring property to its pre-storm condition and making sure insurance companies
           follow through with that obligation.

“Professionalism and ethics are key,” Charles said.  “It is important for the public to be informed about how a public adjuster can assist them as well as the qualities of a credible service provider.”

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Catastrophic Claims Consultants, LLC is a public insurance adjuster firm representing policyholders in the insurance claims process.  The firm’s team members have serviced thousands of insurance claims, from individual homeowner claims to $30 million commercial losses resulting from fire, smoke, wind, hail, water, mold, sinkholes, additional living expenses, freezes, vandalisms, falling objects, theft, collapse, lightning, other business interruptions and loss of rents.

Maryville, Tenn.—

“Rainscapes is delighted to unite with Duck Irrigation, which will allow us even more resources and professional expertise to help customers with any irrigation installation or servicing project,” said Rainscapes President Clint Allison. 

The only national Irrigation Association Certified Contractor in East Tennessee, Rainscapes offers diverse residential and commercial irrigation products and services, including system installations, seasonal irrigation maintenance and landscape lighting and design.

As water conservation is an integral part of the irrigation industry, Rainscapes’ Clint Allison is proud to be designated an Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense^® Partner. Rainscapes is the only irrigation company headquartered in East Tennessee that has a staff member with the WaterSense^® Partner designation. 

“Rainscapes differentiates itself from other irrigation providers with a focus on credentialed services and professionalism,” said Allison. “For example, when someone calls Rainscapes during business hours, a representative will not only answer the call, but also schedule appointments; we take great pride in honoring our scheduled appointment times.”

A Rain Bird select contractor, Rainscapes’ portfolio of work includes the University of Tennessee at Knoxville football practice field, baseball field, soccer field and aquatic center; Stokely Athletic Center; Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame; Ruby Tuesday’s Corporate Headquarters; Blackberry Farms; Tennessee National Entrance and Lee University.

East Tennessee native Clint Allison founded Rainscapes in 1996. He received his Bachelor’s degree in agricultural-ornamental horticulture and landscape design from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.       

The event also honored Mallorie Mendence – senior account service coordinator at Mary Beth West Consulting and a Maryville native – with the PRSA Rising Young Professional Award, which recognizes an outstanding public relations professional in East Tennessee who has worked for six years or less in the field.

The agency won public relations campaign “Award of Excellence” honors in the public service category for its Blount Education Initiative Public Awareness Campaign and in the marketing consumer services—financial category for its LeConte Wealth Management Marketing Campaign.

The firm’s work producing strategic communications tools also received “Award of Excellence” honors in five areas:  non-profit media relations for the Blount Education Initiative; consumer services media relations for LeConte Wealth Management; media kit development in the service category for Todd Richesin Interiors; press conference implementation for the Blount Education Initiative; and external web site development for Blount Education Initiative.

The web site award was shared by the agency with Knoxville-based interactive firm Blue Media Boutique, which together with Mary Beth West Consulting launched Interactive Springboard in early 2010 to formalize the firms’ collaboration in online and social media strategy research, reputation management and measurement. 

In addition, Mary Beth West Consulting won four “Award of Quality” honors for several news releases and media relations campaigns.

“For me, one of the most rewarding parts of managing this firm has been building a team of professionals who share high values for producing great work that meets clients’ business objectives and also serving the public in meaningful ways,” said agency principal Mary Beth West.  “I’m proud of my team, and I’m also appreciative of the clients we’ve been privileged to serve.”

Mendence – a graduate of Maryville High School – joined Mary Beth West Consulting in December 2007, following her graduation with honors from Berry College in Rome, Ga., with a degree in public relations, as well as completion of a summer internship with Mary Beth West and other practicum experience. 

In her position with the firm, Mendence works with the account team to coordinate campaigns for agency clients.  She serves on the board of directors of Maryville City Schools Foundation and is a past board member of the Community Food Connection. 

Established in 2003 and located in the Law Building in downtown Maryville, Mary Beth West Consulting works with clients to advance their communications, relationships and reputations to meet business objectives. 

The firm’s services include integrated brand marketing communications strategies and campaigns; media, community and employee relations programs; social and interactive media strategies and program management; crisis preparedness; and special events.

Heritage High School and William Blount High School have experienced a significant double-digit jump in graduation rates since 2006 with help from two part-time graduation coaches at both high schools.

In addition, Alcoa High School hired the first graduation coach in the area three years ago while Maryville High School integrates the graduation-coach role with existing staff responsibilities. Graduation rates for Alcoa High School and Maryville High School have consistently remained above the state goal of 90 percent since 2007.

“Many East Tennessee public high schools provide graduation coaches as an added layer of support to keep struggling students on track to graduate,” said Bonny Millard, executive director of the Blount Education Initiative (BEI). “Better graduation rates are a win-win situation for all involved, including students and the community at large.”

From 2006 to 2009, William Blount High School experienced a 13.6 percent graduation increase.  Heritage High School’s numbers also are impressive, seeing an 11.2 percent jump during that same time period.

“A number of years ago, a GED was acceptable for those not on target to graduate, but now a student who leaves school but earns a GED is considered a dropout,” said Millard, who has been reviewing local graduation rates since 2004. “The progress of the two county high schools to bring their graduation rates up in only four years is impressive and to be commended. It has taken much hard work and effort to pinpoint these students and make sure they stay on the right track to graduate.”

The data suggests schools with graduation coaches exhibit improved graduation rates.

“Just look at the data, and you can see the benefits of graduation coaches very clearly,” said Jane Morton, supervisor of grades 6-12 instruction for Blount County schools.

Millard added, “With the great results that these graduation coaches have achieved, it would be a step backwards if these positions were eliminated.”

Although there are no specific state requirements to be a graduation coach, it is desirable for coaches to have a professional teaching license and some experience with high school students.

As with guidance counselors, graduation coaches work with at-risk students in jeopardy of not completing high school. Unlike most counselors, graduation coaches do not have to multi-task with administering tests, scheduling classes, grading papers or typical administrative responsibilities – enabling them to focus solely on the students they help.

“Graduation coaches truly have the ability to face a tough situation and stick with it,” Morton said. “They also recognize that there’s such a deep connection between school and home.”

Still, graduation coaches can’t save every student. Morton recalled that one student who was on target to graduate early after the fall semester turned 18 and dropped out. Despite their best efforts to persuade the student to remain in school for the final six weeks or so, he decided not to and because he was 18, school officials had no leverage to retain him.

On a daily basis, graduation coaches monitor a student’s academic progress and attendance and work with teachers to identify those who are falling behind or at risk of doing so. They also focus on getting parents involved and will even make home or workplace visits with parents.

Mike Winstead, assistant director of schools, credits Maryville High School’s collaborative approach with its teachers, guidance counselors, administrators and parents to keep students on track to graduate, since Maryville High School does not have separate graduation coaches. 

According to Winstead, MHS students receive a great start in ninth grade with one full-time guidance counselor who is responsible for helping students create a plan for graduation.  Four other counselors focus on students in grades 10-12.

“Interventions with both the student and a parent are conducted if a student is deemed at risk of not graduating,” Winstead said. “MHS counselors engage in a very individualized approach for each student who gets off track in the pursuit of graduation.” 

BEI recently sat down with local graduation coaches to get a glimpse of what their influential jobs entail.

Questions and Answers with graduation coaches in the Blount County community:
Alcoa High School (AHS)
Heritage High School (HHS)
William Blount High School (WBHS)

1. How long have you been a graduation coach?

Kim Hawkins, AHS: Our principal, Scott Porter, created the position three years ago with the support of the central office. The first two years, it was called Graduation Specialist, even though the position included responsibilities other than working with at-risk students. Since we are such a small system, we all have to wear many different hats. This year, the position was renamed AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) Coordinator to encompass more of the responsibilities. I was the original Graduation Specialist and am now the AYP Coordinator.

Virginia Loflin, WBHS: I’m currently in my second year as a graduation coach for WBHS but was a guidance counselor for 12 years at the high school prior to that.

2. How are graduation coaches different from guidance counselors?

Kim Hawkins, AHS: Our position acts as part of an at-risk team that includes the counselors, principal and Family Resource Center. We know it takes a team approach. Some grad coaches are former counselors and some have other classroom experience.

Virginia Loflin, WBHS: High school guidance counselors have become consumed with several duties and a caseload of around 450 students usually.  We identify and focus solely on at-risk seniors.

3. What do graduation coaches do?

Kim Hawkins, AHS: We do whatever needs to be done to ensure that the students graduate on time while maintaining the rigor and integrity of programs. This includes monitoring data to target at-risk students, finding support programs for the students and families, finding appropriate interventions to address the issues that may prohibit the student from graduating on time, tracking the progress of the students, being a liaison between teachers and students, helping teachers adapt curriculum to meet the needs of at-risk students or taking any other appropriate action to help the students succeed. No day is the same. Larger schools have grad coaches that are focused totally on at-risk students. Alcoa’s small size means that the responsibilities of the grad coach are only a portion of what I do. Some of my other responsibilities include school-wide data analysis, school improvement and reform, standardized testing, curriculum, teacher evaluations, Title I and anything dealing with accountability.

Wilda Cornett, HHS: We work with at-risk students in danger of not graduating from high school. It could be because of attendance issues, failing classes, lack of motivation, family issues, personal issues, such as lack of stable housing, extended illness or whatever has caused them to fall behind in required credits or courses.

Virginia Loflin, WBHS: Graduation coaches identify high school students at risk for not graduating on time. Some of the risk factors include: students falling behind in credits, failing a class needed to graduate, having a history of academic difficulties, not performing well on state tests, coping with difficult family circumstances, raising children, having discipline problems, dealing with transportation issues and missing several days of school. Attendance is truly the single biggest factor in not having satisfactory performance in school. We also monitor students who are close to turning 18. This is important to monitor because 18 is the end of compulsory attendance at school, and students can sign themselves out whenever they want. Unfortunately, every year, we have a student on track to graduate but decides to drop out for whatever reason.

4. Is this position a new phenomenon to the Blount County / East Tennessee area?

Kim Hawkins, AHS: When we created the grad specialist position, we were unaware of any other similar positions in the area. Since then, we have shared our experience with many of the grad coaches in the area. Our grad specialist position evolved into our current AYP coordinator position. Our system has an AYP coordinator at each of the three schools, and we are unaware of any other positions like this in the area.

Virginia Loflin, WBHS: Georgia has had graduation coaches for years. Recently, WBHS has expanded the program because of stimulus money and now has two part-time graduation coaches.

5. What are the biggest struggles graduation coaches face?

Kim Hawkins, AHS: Some unrealistic expectations (from others and of ourselves) haunt us. We are expected to save everyone, be everything to everyone all of the time and fix everything. Some societal issues that revolve around family life or educational policy that does not support student success make it frustrating and difficult. Sometimes, you work with a family who does not value education or has more pressing issues, such as where they will sleep or how they will eat, and it is hard to overcome those problems.

Wilda Cornett, HHS: Getting students motivated and seeing the benefits of a high school diploma is a challenge. The same applies to their parents or guardians. So many times, the students are already behind and unable to graduate on time before we get the referrals from our teachers or the student comes from another school already behind in credits. 

Virginia Loflin, WBHS:  Aside from the students who have credit deficits or several missed days of school, social concerns are a main factor. Oftentimes, these students have nowhere to live, are expecting children, have children already or are 18 and just do not want to go to school anymore. We work with the Family Resource Center to help these struggling students and teach them how to access services in the community. Some of them are just trying to survive.  

6. How do graduation coaches motivate struggling students to go the extra mile?

Kim Hawkins, AHS: Our strategies depend upon the student and what he or she needs. Each student and situation is different, so it is hard to make general statements about motivating students. Some students just need to know someone cares and is paying attention. It varies from checking in with them every day to finding things they or their families need, to texting them every morning to make sure they are getting ready for school. 

Wilda Cornett, HHS: We make personal contact with students and parents and encourage the students to come to school, work hard in class and meet standards for all classes. We develop individual plans with students, parents and teachers. We work with students to get them into credit recovery classes, online courses and recommend tutoring. Sometimes, we make home visits or the school resource officer does. We encourage students and keep in touch with students who, very often, receive little support at home, from peers or themselves (due to low self-esteem). We work with guidance and attendance to follow up on students who transfer from Heritage to make sure they enroll in another educational program that enables them to get a high school diploma.

Virginia Loflin, WBHS: Everything I’ve read about dropout prevention says to identify at-risk students early and give them as much support as soon as possible. School attendance is the biggest factor, so I check every day to make sure the students I work with are in class or locate them to find out where they are. We make home visits and help teachers coordinate getting students into a credit recovery program.

Katherine Bowerman also serves as a graduation coach at William Blount High School.  Ron Eades is also a graduation coach at Heritage High School.

About Blount Education Initiative
The Blount Education Initiative’s (BEI) mission is to make education the Blount County community’s top priority by developing a sustained public awareness campaign focusing on the critical issues related to education, supporting local schools in their efforts to provide a top-notch education for all students and serving as a bridge between the educational community and businesses to develop meaningful collaborations. 

Achieving consensus about education’s vital importance, and what forms of support are required to achieve educational excellence, requires an organized, concerted campaign involving information exchange, dialogue, learning and persuasion.  That’s why BEI exists – to facilitate this process.

Richesin was selected as one of House Beautiful’s “Next Wave of Top 20 Designers” in the just-released December / January 2010 issue, hitting newsstands today, Nov. 24.

“I’m thrilled about the opportunity to share my work with House Beautiful readers and to represent my home state in such a prestigious publication,” said Todd Richesin, owner of Knoxville-based Todd Richesin Interiors.

Richesin grew up in Sweetwater, Tenn., and manages a fully appointed studio located in West Knoxville at his French manor house, which for the past ten years has played host to a complete interior design service. It is here where clients will find one of the South’s most exclusive fabric and furniture resource libraries.  

Todd also travels to furniture and accessory markets worldwide, as well as to many antique shows to keep up-to-date on design trends and new product introductions. 

“I truly focus on expressing each client’s unique individual style in my projects,” Richesin said. “Getting to know a client’s personality helps me to provide them with fresh ideas and one-of-a-kind designs.” 

Since early childhood, Todd has had a knack for interior design.  In fact, his first project happened by accident at the age of 7.  He selected an Oriental rug that is still in his parents’ home library today – even after the room has been redecorated three times.

Todd’s philosophy of design is simple — starting with personal collections or design elements that a client loves and building from there.

“More beautiful, more comfortable, more livable – that’s my motto,” Richesin said. “Design should be fun.  My goal is simply to take a client’s dream and make it a reality.”

No one in East Tennessee knows better about making their design dreams come true than Knoxville resident Melinda Story.  Melinda has worked with Richesin over the past 10 years on four different interior design projects, including a room-by-room design project for her main home in Knoxville; restoration and complete interior design of an 1840’s house in Key West, Fla.; design and furnishing of her mountain home in Highlands, NC; and a remodeling and interior design project for an historic loft in downtown Knoxville.

“We would not consider undertaking a project without the benefit of Todd’s consultation,” Story said.  “His vision, talent and creativity are gifts. You can see it in everything he does and everything he is.”

Doretta Sperduto, decorating director of House Beautiful, says Todd’s work speaks for itself.  “He is obviously talented and deserves to be featured in this article.”

Recently, Todd integrated social media tools to give back to supporters interested in gaining interior design knowledge, along with offering helpful decorating tips and answering design-related questions.  Todd’s blog, “On the Fringe,” hosts a variety of colorful blog posts.  Todd’s fan page on Facebook is also growing daily.

“Spreading design knowledge, along with providing the best customer service possible has always been my top priority,” Richesin said.  “I try my best to go above and beyond what a client wants to make them happy.”

About Todd Richesin Interiors, LLC
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Todd Richesin Interiors, LLC , is a full-service interior design studio that utilizes custom furniture, antiques and luxury fabrics to express each client’s individual style.  The firm’s services include floor plan design; pre-construction analysis of floor plans and furniture layouts; flooring, plumbing, tile and lighting selection; selection of all interior finishes; cabinetry consultation and design; custom furniture, draperies, rugs and accessories; artwork selection and antiques. 

Richesin is also a business partner with Bobby Brown in Bobby Todd Antiques.  Founded in 1999 and located in the heart of downtown Sweetwater, Tenn. (near Interstate 75 between Knoxville and Chattanooga), Bobby Todd Antiques features unique furniture pieces, garden accessories and gifts as well as intangibles such as scent and sound to enhance the design of every home.