To the editor:
I am for Jim Dodson for City Council.
Others have written eloquently about his resume and credentials for the position. I would like to take a more personal approach.
I have known and worked alongside Jim for nearly 30 years at Jefferson Middle School. During that time, I have watched him grow exponentially both as a professional and a person. He has inspired an entire generation of budding artists. Often teaching students across four different grade levels, Jim has cultivated and encouraged the artistic skills of students of all abilities and backgrounds. His tireless promotion of student art within the school, community, and region so typifies the exceptional fine arts education that students receive in the Oak Ridge Schools.
In addition to his daily vocation working with students, Jim devotes still more of his passion to developing art teachers as well. He works daily with art teacher interns from the University of Tennessee and throughout the year with art teachers in Oak Ridge and across the region and state. Such commitment requires energy, dedication, and a willingness to both lead and serve that is matched by few.
As impressive as these achievements are, in recent years, I’ve watched Jim expand his commitment to the rest of our community. With each step, in each organization, his leadership skill set has deepened and his resolve to serve has steadily grown. The outreach that he has demonstrated through Rotary, the Arts Council, United Way, and other civic organizations has taught him much about networking, consensus-building, and positively promoting our city.
Oak Ridge is moving forward, making real progress for what feels like the first time in a long time. Jim Dodson’s positive, progressive attitude and his servant leadership style will make him a perfect Council member for this crucial moment in our history. Let’s elect a man whose skill set and commitment are a perfect fit for these dynamic times. I heartily and warmly endorse Jim Dodson for City Council, and I encourage you to do likewise.
Steve Reddick
Oak Ridge
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