by Alyson Genovese, LNH class of 2012

Leadership New Hampshire’s day on Nonprofits and the Media may have instead been titled: “Organizations in which we place our communal trust.”

Over the last few years, we have heard a lot about Americans’ increasing distrust of, well, everyone: Corporate America, politicians and government… you name it.

So, how can our local media and nonprofit sectors rise above these perceptions and serve (as they should) as organizations that our communities can reliably turn to as strong, consistent and impartial resources? As much as these organizations – from WMUR/Channel9 to the Nashua Symphony Orchestra – offer cultural, political, emotional, educational and social value for our communities, their success is hampered if we as citizens do not trust. Trust that they with act with transparency, that they will not be unduly influenced by individuals or organizations, that they will be  reliable and credible in their efforts to serve the public good.

I’m impressed with how my classmates asked tough questions of the day’s presenters, representative members of the media and nonprofit communities who generously offered their time and perspective on current trends within their fields.  For instance:

• Joe McQuaid, publisher of the Union Leader, was quizzed on whether or not the newspaper’s impartiality is compromised when it endorses a political candidate and has a clear political “leaning.”
• Mary Ellen Jackson, from the NH Center for Nonprofits, was asked why New Hampshire has more than 8400 nonprofits, with an estimated 650 new ones expected in 2012 alone. What value does a crowded nonprofit marketplace serve us in New Hampshire?
• Betsy Gardella, CEO of New Hampshire Public Radio, was asked how NHPR works to maintain trust within the American public during a time when Americans’ trust of the media and news sources is lower than ever before.

Our presenters, however, issued a challenge to us: as consumers, donors, volunteers and community influentials, how do we understand our responsibility in maintaining “our end” of the relationship with nonprofits and media. For us to hold these instututions to such a high standard, we as leaders have a responsibility to be engaged, empowered and educated citizens. For instance, if we complain that local media outlets do not cover local stories or offer investigative reporting, we must understand that content – particularly in-depth reporting and analysis – is not free. We have to understand the consequences of such extensive reporting provided free on our computer each morning while at the same time expressing doubt about whether the very media outlets that provide free news might be  in the back pocket of corporate America and political parties.

We must be willing to speak up with our voice and our pocketbooks to ensure that the product we desire continues to be economically sustainable.

In the nonprofit sector, which, incidentally, employs 1 in 7 New Hampshire residents, our responsibility lies in providing the time, talent and treasure necessary to hire and support the right staff to serve our communities most effectively.  We must serve as board members – insisting on transparency and the oversight necessary to earn and maintain the public’s trust in the organizations we care about.

As a participant in Leadership New Hampshire, I believe our goal is to become an engaged and informed leader within our community. We expect and demand trust and transparency from the nonprofit and media industry to help us become the best leaders possible. As leaders, we must also acknowledge that such organizations also trust us to be a part of the process.

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By Scott McPherson, Class of 2012

Whether it was planned or a fortunate coincidence, the selection of former Union Leader Columnist and New Hampshire Public Television Host John Clayton to kick off Education Day at the YWCA in Manchester on December 9^th was apt. John’s presentation on the history of Manchester was both entertaining and educational. It served as a wonderful start to the day, helping to connect the class to the place, as is the goal of the opening speaker each session day.

Like an engaged teacher or wise professor, John told a compelling story of Manchester’s history. He indicated the history of Manchester can be connected to the Merrimack River and the Amoskeag Falls. He called it the “crucible for the development of the city.” Native Americans depended on the falls and the fish that congregated at is base for sustenance. In fact, that name Amoskeag is roughly translated to “good fishing place” or “many fish.”  John told us it was Samuel Blodgett who first built the system of canals and locks around the falls that helped promote development of Manchester and attract industry. Harnessing the power of the falls, Amoskeag Industries was born in the early 1800s. Clayton then guided us on a journey through the 19^th and 20^th century history of Manchester and the mills, including the fact that the fabric for the first pair of Levis jeans was manufactured in Manchester. John told riveting stories of economic and labor strife that helped shape and define Manchester, and would ultimately shape the city into the 21^st century.

Along with the history of the city, John shared the stories of prominent “Mancunians” who helped shape America beyond the borders of the Queen City. This included Richard and Morris McDonald,the founders of McDonald’s; the Revson Brothers of Revlon cosmetics; Peyton Place author Grace Metalious; Iwo Jima flag raiser Rene Gagnon; inventor Dean Kamen; and Hollywood superstar comedian Adam Sandler, each of whom hailed from Manchester or called it home.

John concluded his tale by connecting Manchester’s history as a city built by immigrants to recent political debates about immigration in the city. This served as a good transition to the primary topic of the day, education.

Mary Heath, the Dean of the School of Education at Southern New Hampshire University, used experience gained from her long and varied career in education to provide an overview of K-12 education in New Hampshire. She talked about the structure of education in the state, explaining how the state is divided into school administrative units governed by elected school boards. Dean Heath said that education is transitioning from focus on grades to mastery of competencies. She asked the question: “How do we know the learning has happened?” One means to answer this question is testing, which Mary indicated has shown New Hampshire students are above average. For both the SATs (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and the NECAPs (New England Common Assessment) show New Hampshire students scoring above average. Finally, Mary offered a vision for the future of education in the state. Whether the development of charter schools or the usage of technology in schools, Mary indicated education and the role of teachers is changing. “One size fits all” she said.

Associates then assembled for the brief walk to Manchester Central High School, just a few blocks from our meeting spot. When gathered in the high’s schools sprawling auditorium, we were introduced to Assistant Principal Forrest Ransdell. Mr. Ransdell gave a brief history of the school, noting that Central is the oldest and largest public high school in New Hampshire. It’s also the most diverse, with students from 60 countries speaking more than 30 different languages.  Although prideful of the school and its students, Mr. Ransdell talked honestly about the challenges facing Central. “We try not to ignore our challenges. We confront them,” he said. He indicated that greatest challenge is attendance among students. About 10-15 percent of the students have horrible attendance, he said. He also talked about the dropout rate and how the administration seeks to intervene early in the student’s career, the development of gang activity, and drug abuse among students.

At that point, it was time to prepare for our classroom visits. LNH Executive Director Steve Reno, who serves as principal to our Leadership NH class, handed out classroom assignments. LNH associates were grouped in groups of 3 and assigned to classes as varied Algebra, Biochemistry and Genetics, and music performance. Mr. Ransdell led associates on a winding tour of Central, dropping groups in their classrooms along the way.

For associates, the classroom experience was as varied as the classroom topics themselves. In one classroom, associates watched students build models of DNA strands, an attempt to bring to life the a classroom lecture. In another class, associates watched in fascination the piercings and fashion choices of today’s teenagers. For many, the classroom visits were the first time they were back in high school since graduation and proved to a highlight of the day.

After returning to the YWCA and a nourishing lunch of sandwiches and soup (much appreciated on a cold December day), Education Day continued with a presentations by, and discussions with, LNH alumna John Shea of the MC2 Charter School Network, and Tom Brennan, superintendent of Manchester School District.

Brennan talked about the current financial challenges facing the MSD. Brennan reported the district is faced with the prospect of a $12.8 million budget shortfall while still needing to provide services to the district’s 15,500 students. With Shea, Brennan engaged associates in a provocative discussion about efforts to reform public education.

Following the discussion of primary and secondary education, the focus of Education Day turned to higher education with UNH President Mark Huddleston and Manchester Community College President Susan D. Huard. The two presidents provided brief overviews of their respective institutions. Both talked about the financial challenges they face following the adoption of the state budget in June. New Hampshire Technical Institute’s budget was cut by 20 percent, while UNH’s was cut by 48 percent. Following the cut, Huddleston reported, UNH now receives approximately 6 percent of its budget from the state government. He asked the question, “What does it mean to be a public institution without public funding?” Huddleston talked about the strategies for dealing with the funding cuts, indicating faculty and staff are going to need to be more productive.

Education day concluded with LNH alum and former chair of the NH Board of Education Fred Bramante and Meryl Levin, Founding Parent and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Mill Falls Montessori Charter School. The session was promoted as hearing from two people who saw something that needed to be done and did it. It quickly veered into a passionate discussion of the proposed education reforms, particularly Bramante’s energetic and spirited defense of his vision for public education.

The formal session day concluded with a reminder from Steve that served as the basis for education day: “The education of our youth is the foundation of the state.”

Following the formal conclusion to Education Day, many associates attended a reception with Leadership Greater Manchester at the offices of Devine Millimet, which was hosted by LNH alum Mark Broth, LNH ’11.

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by Sarah Fox, Class of 2012

NH Citizens pride themselves on their love and involvement in politics and government.  There is nothing more quintessential than the local town hall meeting.  But as we learned on Government and Politics Day, this treasured landscape is changing – the question is for better or for worse?

We started our day in the Executive Council Chambers.  I had been there the day before, shadowing Executive Councilor Ray Burton for his morning and for the Governor and Executive Council meeting.  Brad Cook, LNH alum and New Hampshire political historian shared wonderful stories of the state’s colorful political history.  He then challenged us with a quiz about our knowledge of NH’s government and history.  The quiz was designed so that we had to answer for our own communities – our individual State Representatives and Senators, our County Commissioners, etc.  It’s amazing how much you think you know compared to what you really do know!  The other point was that the answers for the quiz change for every class because elected officials change in New Hampshire so frequently.

It was a bit disappointing that Governor Lynch was unable to meet with us in the morning, but it seems likely he will have an opportunity to speak with our class on another occasion.  We then heard from Chris Sununu who spoke about the role of the Executive Council as part of the Executive Branch.  There is a fierce pride about the importance of the Executive Council.  The Executive Council has to review and approve any state agency expenditure over $5000.  What I observed the day before at the Executive Council meeting was Commissioners of major state agencies waiting to be called from the agenda to answer questions from the Executive Council.  I did some mental math about how much personnel time it took for the meeting itself and then the incredibly time intensive process it is to just meet all of the requirements for submission to get onto the Governor and Council agenda.  It’s a hefty sum.  As they made their way through the agenda, huge reams of paperwork were tossed into the recycling boxes next to each Councilor.  While I appreciate the purpose of the Executive Council, I have to wonder if taxpayer resources should be utilized this way – especially for the relatively small contracts amounts.

We then heard from Senate President Peter Bragdon and Deputy House Speaker, Pam Tucker (Speaker of the House, William O’Brien was not available to meet with the class).  The discussion was informative but because of limited time, it felt like we just scratched the surface of the interplay between the House and the Senate.  Both speakers spoke about the “painful” decisions that the legislature was force to make in the past legislative session.  Some classmates asked questions – I wish I had asked a question that was on my mind – “What about revenue?  What real discussions or proposals addressed how to increase revenue?”

Karen Wadsworth, Clerk of the House gave us a short tour of the Statehouse.  She is a statehouse historian and had lots of great and candid stories to tell.  Walk-away trivia fact?  The House is the third largest governing body in the world, and the only reason the size of the House was limited to 400 members is that there was no space to add seats to the seating of the House Chamber.

After lunch, Steve Norton, from the NH Center for Public Policy Studies explained how the NH budget is created.  He gave us a task – to prioritize the line items of the budget with a whopping $100 to spend.  My group threw out numbers while Steve Poggi tried to record the end result.  It was hard to find consensus or even clarity about what all of the line items represented within the state budget.  In the end, Steve Norton explained that our experience was not unlike that of the legislature.  Telling, indeed!  Andy Smith (Director of the UNH Survey Center) gave us an interesting perspective of “New Hampshire’s Political Landscape.” How New Hampshire has vacillated from being conservative to more liberal over the years and comparing the population demographics by county and by age.  It is fascinating to see the changes over time.  The big question with each election cycle is, which way will New Hampshire voters lean this time?  It’s seems like it is getting harder to predict.

Our last assignment was really quite fun.  We were assigned different roles for a mock legislative committee meeting and broken up into two groups.  Donna Sytek, long time member of the House and former House Speaker, was Chair of the Judiciary Committee hearing the bill on high interest rate lenders.  Mike Bourbeau and I were assigned to be opponents to the proposed legislation. We spoke briefly beforehand to strategize and talk about the points we’d try make to the committee. It was hard to be on the “hot seat” but the Committee members were welcoming and asked some good questions.  We debriefed with both committees and heard from both Rep. Sytek and Rep. Neil Kurk (who ran the other committee).We also learned more about their experiences and perspectives of how the House has changed over the years.

My take-aways from this session: throughout the day, there was one resounding theme: GET INVOLVED.  New Hampshire’s unique and colorful political history only became unique and colorful because the citizens got involved to ensure their voices were heard.  We have great access to our Representatives.  It matters when make our voices heard.  But no one in government will hear your voice or mine if we sit on the sidelines and wait for others to do so.  Run for office – doesn’t matter whether it’s town government, county government, or state government – the state needs thoughtful, interested, and committed citizens to serve as elected officials.

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