Doug Bedsaul has been sharing his spare time volunteering in Starkville public schools for the last seven years.
He’s an active member of the Parent-Teacher Association, and through a partnership with the district’s physical education classes, Bedsaul spent 2 1/2 years teaching karate to more than 1,100 Starkville students.
In November, Bedsaul replaced Heather Carson as president of the Starkville Foundation for Public Education, which awards scholarships and grants to Starkville teachers and students.
The Decatur, Ala. native holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in political science from Mississippi State University. He’s the general manger of Hollywood Premier Cinemas and has a daughter in fifth grade at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School.
Bedsaul works with a board of 15 members to help raise money for teacher and student assistance.
The Foundation, started more than 20 years ago, raised $33,000 in 2011 and hopes to raise $35,000 this year.
Bedsaul has been a Foundation board member for three years.
The foundation is currently accepting applications for senior scholarships. For more information, visit Starkvillefoundation.com.
Tell me about the karate
program you had going.
When I started teaching martial arts in the PE program, we spent one day a week, every week, for about 2 1/2 years. Every child at the school, the way PE was structured, every kid got a chance to do it. I saw every kid once a week at Sudduth Elementary School. They’re not able to get a lot of information about karate in 20-30 minutes, but the hope was to spark an interest in physical activity.
What did you take away from the karate lessons with the students?
The experience definitely reinforced the fact that every kid is different. You’ve got 1,100 kids, that’s 1,100 different personalities, abilities and learning styles. To make an observation of the district, it lets you know how hard it is to reach all of them academically.
What is your motivation for volunteering?
My motivation in volunteering at any level, it may not sound great, but it’s a selfish motivation. I know my needs in a community, the needs of my child and the future. To get the most out of community for myself and child, I need to be volunteering as much as I can in schools and in other areas.
Starkville seems to have a strong pool of volunteers for education. How infectious is that energy in finding more volunteers?
We do have lots of charitable organizations, both in education and otherwise. The community is very lucky to have that in the economic downturn. We do have some individuals who seek us out. One Foundation board member came from another district and was familiar with us. They immediately sought us out. We do actively seek volunteers for some of the fundraising events. When we do so, it’s not too hard to get volunteers. When someone isn’t familiar, when you start talking to them, they are familiar very quickly because of a grant or a program we had that they heard about.
The district has a new superintendent, and parent and volunteer groups met with him over lunch Thursday. Your thoughts on Dr. Lewis Holloway?
I was able to see his presentation last week, too. I was encouraged by that and some of the experience and activities he’s been involved with. In talking with him today, I was even more encouraged by his perception of the community. He has come away from this application process and tours (of schools) with a very positive outlook on community and what he can do here. I think that’ll have a good effect on what he’s able to accomplish.
He mentioned multiple times about including people in community in helping to improve our future. I’m glad he has that perspective on how to improve it.
While at Bulloch, he helped raise a lot of funds for infrastructure. How excited are you to work with him in this capacity?
The history of the foundation has not been involved in facilities, either construction or use. I don’t see us changing our focus to that. It is possible — over time — because it’s an organization headed by a board, and it’s a collaborative effort. But I’m interested in seeing his ideas when he gets a feel for what’s going on and how he feels our funds can be spent, for facilities and technology in the classroom or staff. I’m interested to see what his ideas are for the revenue.
If the foundation can use its fundraising abilities to help in those areas, I’m open to the idea, but it’d need follow the mission statement of the foundation.
What do you see as the biggest needs for the district? And do the foundation’s goals for 2012 address those?
I know we have some facilities needs, and teacher assistance would be highly useful. But one area that was discussed today and will become even more of an issue is technology in the classroom and in the hands of teachers and students. Technology will not only become important as an instructional tool, but students will be required, as time goes on, to know how to use it. It’ll be required to be successful at college and in the workplace.
Any earmarks for 2012?
Of the $35,000 goal, $15,000 is to be put out for scholarships for seniors. Another 15,000 is for teacher grants. The remaining $5,000 is for special projects grants. That would be for areas of study or special events, presentations that a teacher finds useful for the classroom but for some reason would not have been able to apply for during the regular grant process.
The Foundation is in rare company in the Golden Triangle. I can’t think of any other town with a public school fundraising arm like it. Do you guys field questions from people outside of Starkville looking to start their own?
Honestly, I haven’t. Heather possibly has in her term as president.
Are you surprised community members in neighboring towns haven’t formed a fundraising group?
I don’t know about surprised. The foundation has been here for many years, but just up until a few years ago, we had to get more vocal and create more of a presence. People still didn’t know who we were. That said, I know how successful we’ve been because of the feedback we get from teachers. So I know what a foundation can do, and I’d like to see other towns do the same
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