By Edward P. Noga
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – As far back as I can remember, birthdays in our house meant hearing Mom sing “Happy Birthday” early in the morning.
It’s just the way the day started.
To this day, my sister and brother and I know that if we miss the “live” rendition of that familiar song because we were away or at work (or asleep), it will be waiting for us on our answering machine or voicemail.
I recently celebrated my birthday. And now that I am in my 70s, Mom’s birthday greeting sends my mind reminiscing and remembering. The same goes for my siblings.
As the years have gone by, Mom has expanded her early morning birthday routine to some of her friends and others who have become part of her life. It’s not unusual to run into one of her friends and hear, “I got my early morning birthday call last week from your mom! She is something! Never forgets!”
On a couple of occasions over the years when Mom was dealing with a medical issue and it threw off her schedule, I (or my sibs) would get a call and be asked, “Hey, is Mom OK? It was my birthday a few days ago and I didn’t get a call from her.”
The above rather lengthy introduction to this article is a reminder that birthdays are important and that they do conjure up memories and personal histories that are uniquely part of our being. The first birthday after someone we know or love passes is a somber – and even tearful – time for us.
Three birthdays that I acknowledge each year with a note or card (but not the early morning reveille call) are for three individuals that came into my life at an important time of transition.
Eleven years after becoming pastor of St. Patrick Parish on Youngstown’s south side, the sad reality of our elementary school closure made its way into our parish history. As I (and others who have had to close inner-city schools in the Midwest back then) said to parents, parishioners and communities, “Rarely are our school closures about an inferior product. The closures are usually about less students and lack of funding.”
We have hundreds of graduates who have become productive citizens, parents and community leaders. For instance, the current superintendent of Youngstown City Schools – Jeremy Batchelor – is a graduate of St. Patrick School and the parish and I are very proud of him.
The St. Patrick parish experience continues to be played out all over our nation.
To be clear, this article is not about the complex issue of who should fund and oversee our educational system.
Rather, this is about people. This is about good people who day-in and day-out strive to bring out the best in the next generation. This is where my three birthday acknowledgments come from. And to be clear, these three are among many who deserve to be commended and acknowledged.
Following the closure of the school at 1410 Oak Hill Ave., one mile from downtown Youngstown, a series of events brought two bishops together: Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin and Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Bishop Marcus Miller.
After many meetings and the engagement of scores of interested educators, neighbors, parents and businesses, New Hope Academy was born with Sylvia Imler at the helm. Eventually the school morphed into a charter school under the leadership of Ray Pallante and, following him, Kathy Mioni.
Sylvia went on to serve at Youngstown State University. Ray and Kathy are still in the educational world locally.
This school transition was made possible by these three tremendous leaders (and many others) who are happily dedicated to helping young people find their place in society. Their stories of dedication and accomplishment could fill an entire edition of this journal.
Let me just say that when their birthday shows up on my calendar, I get the biggest smile on my face and the most delightful memories swirl through my mind.
Maybe someday I’ll call them (or have Mom do so) early in the morning to wish them the best on their birthday.
But for now, the card with a note is my way of acknowledging the army of teachers, teacher’s aides and supportive families that are preparing our future leaders. Thanks for the memories and Happy Birthday!