Success a student at a time.

If Tom Morgan were a baseball player he'd be in a rookie league. As an educator, however, he's Major League, a home run hitter. It's all a matter of numbers really.

Tom is the horticulture instructor at the Polaris Career Center. The modern, low-slung facility is located across the street from our magazine offices here in southwest Cleveland. Tom had 15 high school age youths in his program this school year. At least two of them will build successful careers in the Green Industry. The enthusiasm in their voices is genuine. I see the light in their eyes. They can see themselves being successful.

One's a young lady who has already secured several scholarships to continue her formal education. The other, a young man, is already out there laughing, learning and building a company on his own. There may be more students like them. I just didn't get a chance to meet or know them.

Two out of 15--in baseball that's a batting average of .133, not so hot. But, any educator can tell you that if they can spark a genuine interest for learning in two out of 15 students, an interest that puts their students on a path to a rewarding career, that's pretty darn good.

Advice? We give it

But Tom knows he can't do it by himself. Several years ago he asked me to be an advisor to his program. ...