The efforts I took at bettering the Dover community last year are well documented on this blog. At the time, my friends and mentors appreciated my work. I wrote and said what everyone was thinking, but alas, it didn’t bring about much change by itself.

Since I left town, this may have changed. I’ve been hearing vague reports from anonymous sources that things I had written on my blog in the past have hit the desks of important people in the Dover community. The focus of my first month at Tufts was to become a member of my new community, a challenging task when there’s so much going on back home. For instance, a Google Alert I have to track the term “Richard Mondello” just alerted me that I was in the Harlem Valley Times this last week:

Frame said that she had recently been reading Dover Valedictorian Richard Mondello’s blog with great interest and had taken to heart when Mondello said that he felt that the “community leaders weren’t listening to the youth.”

“It’s a shame,” Frame said and offered to begin meeting with the Dover student council and the board of education on a regular basis.

Galayda mentioned Mondello’s work in organizing the “Register for Change” event and applauded the youth’s determination.

I didn’t know this until just now, four days after the article was published. If I wasn’t proactive about tracking my reputation, I may have ever known!

So, to my friends and mentors back home, I need a favor from you. If you hear and read anything related to me, the Dover Dilemma, or Register for Change, please send me an email and let me know. I’d really appreciate hearing anything you know, whether it be fact or rumor.

While I’m at it, if you’re a Dover student who’d like to continue down the path I set on last year, writing about injustices in Dover High School, you’re welcome to email me an anonymous report that I’ll guest post here.

Thank you. Really.

As always, I quote it below for posterity’s sake.

Students raise political awareness with ‘Register for Change’ rally

DOVER – Students and recent graduates from Dover High School held a political rally on Aug. 9 in the Town of Dover to promote the importance of voting, as well as to inform the public about presidential candidate Barack Obama’s policies.

Bumper stickers, pins and signs were given out at the “Register for Change” event, and voter registration cards were available for residents to fill out.

A couple weeks before his graduation from Dover High School in June, Valedictorian Richard Mondello, 18, created a group on the social networking Web site www.facebook.com advocating to host a political rally during the summer. He received a large amount of feedback from his fellow students wanting to participate and join the group.

“I wanted to do something that would show that the young people of Dover are getting really involved and excited about the upcoming election,” Mondello said.

“I feel like young people hardly ever get good press, and I wanted us to do something positive and constructive,” he said.

After the event’s date was confirmed, Mondello and Dylan Young, 18, went to a town board meeting to get permission to assemble.

Mondello also contacted the Barack Obama campaign about the event, which is how he received the bumper stickers, pins, signs and voter registration cards that were available at the rally.

“There have been a lot of great people coming out to support us and coming up to the tent registering to vote,” said Justin Schneider, 18.

“I’ve been here since 8:30 for the cause. I’m not necessarily for a candidate. I’m for change and involvement in the political process. That’s what all of us are really trying to promote,” he said.

Congressman John Hall (D-Dover) also attended to help promote involvement in the political process.

“The wonderful turnout for this event is proof that bringing people into the political process will make a difference. I think it’s a great message to publicize,” Hall said. “The first step is to be involved and to vote.”

DOVER – It was standing room only at the graduation ceremony for the Dover High School Class of 2008 on June 28.

Proud friends and family of the graduates gathered under the celebration tent to watch the commencement of 117 students, with the crowd overflowing into the aisles and even outside the tent.

As the graduates made their way in the processional across the grounds and into the tent, excited friends and parents jockeyed for room to take photos and offer their congratulations.

The Dover School Band welcomed the graduates and began the official ceremony with the traditional playing of “Pomp and Circumstance,” while High School Principal Donna Bastings took the podium, ready to officiate.

She welcomed all attendees to the ceremony to a round of applause from both the audience and the seniors.

Senior Class President Kelsey Ellingsen welcomed her fellow classmates and also offered her congratulations as she gave her welcome address.

Parents of Salutatorian Maia Nguyen were invited up to the front and were offered a photograph of their daughter in honor of her academic achievement at Dover High School.

Nguyen then stepped to the front to give her salutatory address in which she recounted days of middle school and the inherent desire to fit in and follow the crowd.

“Remember when it was the cool thing to be mean to everyone – except the cool kids?” she asked, garnering laughter from the crowd.

Nguyen reminded her fellow seniors of middle school days when clothing from the store Limited Too was the ultimate expression of one’s fashion forwardness.

She reminisced about the important lessons that her mother taught her in finally breaking away from the desire to fit into the preconceived conception of “cool,” helping her become her own person.

“In middle school my mother used to take me clothes shopping for school and used to tell me, ‘You can get a few outfits from JC Penney or Sears, or you can get one thing from Limited Too,’” said Nguyen. “Guess what I chose? Of course, I always chose to get that one thing from the Limited Too and never ended up wearing it.”

She offered the memory as an allegory, and as a final pearl of wisdom to the Class of 2008, Nguyen urged her classmates to be true to themselves, never minding if it fit the current concept of cool.

Seniors were then invited to join the Dover Band in a rendition of “Novo Lenio” – two Latin words that mean a new and better change.

Before the beginning of the valedictory address, parents of Valedictorian Richard Mondello were also offered a photo of their son as a memento of his time at Dover.

Mondello began his speech by referencing Issac Newton in saying “We stand on the shoulders of giants.”

He then thanked all of the “giants” in his life that had guided him through the years and had provided inspiration to him.

He thanked his father for teaching him to “work smarter, not harder” and his mother for inspiring him to rise above any obstacle that faced him – lessons, he assured them, that he would take with him as he began the next stage of his life.

Mondello closed by urging his fellow graduates to be the giant in someone else’s life.

“It doesn’t take drastically changing your life,” he said.

It did, however, take living with integrity as one’s internal compass, he said.

Superintendent Craig Onofry then took the stage to present an extensive array of scholarships and awards.

Over 60 scholarships were presented from various school and community organizations to aid the graduates in their pursuit of higher education.

Board of Education President Samuel Shufelt offered congratulatory remarks before the Dover High School Chorus presented its musical selection of the popular graduation song “Friends, Always in my Heart.”

Bastings then introduced a favorite teacher, Richard Esposito, as the commencement speaker.

The graduates welcomed him with cheers and applause and instead of addressing the crowd, Esposito directed his speech directly to the students and recounted his years with them.

Esposito and students alike were moved to both laughter and tears as he bid them farewell and good luck.

Then one by one the students were invited up to receive their diplomas, presented by members of the board of education.

Tyler and Ryan Bastings both received their diplomas and took a quick detour to offer their mother, Principal Bastings, a quick hug before returning to their seats.

Once again family and friends gathered, this time in the aisle, to photograph the decisive moment in the seniors’ careers at Dover all while offering their cheers of support and congratulations.

Onofry presided over the conferral of the graduates, and when the students walked in their recessional back across the grounds, they walked as Dover alumni.

Good morning Superintendant Onofry, Assistant Superintendant Tierney, Board President Shufelt, members of the Board of Education, Principal Basting, Assistant Principals Rizzo, Timm, Bauerlein; faculty, family, friends, and the Class of 2008.

On this day of celebration, I’m honored to have the opportunity to speak to you all. Although they apply to everyone under this tent, I direct my thoughts toward two groups of people: those individuals who helped me get where I am today, and my class, the Class of 2008.

…

It’s said that we stand on the shoulders of giants. This is so true, and I appreciate all of the giants in my life, whose love, trust, and guidance have helped me get where I stand today.

I begin with my teachers; it is their instruction that has guided me intellectually throughout my entire life. Although I appreciate the guidance of each and every one of them, I must signal out two key educators, without whom I wouldn’t be who I am today.

The first of these is Mr. Watson, whose remarkable work ethic, genuine personality, and love for life has motivated me to strive for new heights again and again. Whether he’s valiantly saving lives, breaking up fights, or calling people the most ridiculous names ever, he’s someone we should model ourselves after.

The second is Mr. Wright, who has been a moral guidepost for me since my first day in Dover some six years ago. Mr. Wright has taught me to live and die by the golden rule, to always look out for the welfare of others, and to never stop questioning, ever. Along the way, he’s certainly been a character. I’m sure none of us will ever forget his reenactment of the caning of Senator Charles Sumner in 7th grade, especially the students who served as the victim.

I move onto my friends – the people I enjoy spending time with, the people who keep me sane in an increasing insane world, and the people who remind me of my humility when necessary, which seems to be often. Although I can’t possibly mention all of you right now, I’m confident you know who you are.

Very often, the greatest giants in our lives are those in our families. Every student who eagerly awaits his or her diploma is a testament to the guidance of the people closest to them. As I recognize my family, I’m certain each graduate appreciates the kindness of his or her own.

I start with my grandparents and aunt, whose love and concern have always been a pillar in my life. I’m so glad they’re able to see me today.

I’m grateful for my parents, whose absolute trust has been the greatest gift ever given to me. Not once in my life did they doubt my judgment or tell me I wasn’t good enough to do something.

Dad, your mantra and hope for me to, “Work smart and not hard,” is something I’ve come to internalize. And Mom, your strength and faith to overcome crippling back pain every day of your life to take care of Christy and me makes you the strongest person I know.

Finally, I recognize Christy Mondello, my sister and best friend. Christy, you’ve shared virtually every experience with me, both good and bad. It’s your kindness and patience that always keeps me going, especially in the face of daunting circumstances. I love you and am so fortunate to have you in my life.

…

The primary group of people I address today are the graduates I’m proud to be walking with, my class, the Class of 2008. To you all, I offer three pieces of advice – that’s it, three.

…

We will all soon be moving onto something bigger than this, bigger than high school. Whether you’re entering the workforce, joining the military, or going off to school again, I urge you to leave this phase of your life on good terms. We all have our Mr. Wrights, Mr. Watsons, or best friends – the people who we got along well with. We should seek these people out and let them know just how much we’ve always appreciated them.

But, throughout my time here, I can recall people who I simply didn’t treat fairly. I suspect that many of us have someone like this, someone who we didn’t give a fair chance. This person might be a member of your family, perhaps another student, or maybe a teacher or coach.

Think about it – think hard. After this ceremony, take a moment to find the person who you aren’t “okay” with, and try to set things right. Always remember that forgiveness is healthier than resentment and that friendship is infinitely more useful than a grudge.

…

A moment ago, I spoke of the giants in my life. We’ve all had our own giants, the people who help us to achieve our dreams. Class of 2008, my second piece of advice is to be a giant in someone else’s life.

Although this may sound daunting, it doesn’t mean dramatically changing our lifestyles. For instance, by staying positive, acting as a role, and volunteering our time and skills to help someone in need, we begin a cycle of compassion that ultimately benefits everyone.

Almost everyone in my class could tell you that I’m an avid follower of politics. On the topic of giants, I’d be remiss if I didn’t quote my favorite Senator, whose eloquent thoughts resonate with my advice. The Senator says,

I ask you to take this harder path – not because you have an obligation to those who are less fortunate, although you do have that obligation. Not because you have a debt to all of those who helped you get to where you are, although you do have that debt.

I ask you to take it because you have an obligation to yourself. Because our individual salvation depends on our collective salvation. And because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

Thank you, Senator Obama.

…

As we move on, we must recognize that the relative prosperity of our generation’s childhood is gone. The soaring gas prices and global decline of respect for our nation are indicative of a deep problem that’s plaguing it: a lack of leadership. Now, it’s our turn to guide the United States of America – to restore it as the world’s leader – financially, technologically, and ethically. The problems in our path include poverty, war, and a climate in crisis. But despite the enormity of these issues, by looking at our track record, I’m certain that we can overcome them.

Together, as a class, we endured many crises and always found a way to emerge stronger than before. We’ve taken strenuous exams, played hard in difficult matches, and performed in breathtaking plays and concerts. We’ve built relationships, taken trips abroad, and harvested wisdom wherever it’s found. At Pep Rally this year, where the seniors swept in every award category, I had a pleasure as Master of Ceremonies to yell, “This is madness!” – to which you all screamed back, “This is Sparta!” And most recently, we coordinated the most awesome senior trip and senior prank in the history of this school, period.

If that’s what we could do in the course of these last few years of high school, imagine what we’ll be able to do when we choose our own paths. When we let our passions guide us, there’s nothing we can’t do. Fellow classmates, find what you love doing in life and stick with it. That is my third and final piece of advice for you today, because it is by working with this talent, calling, or skill that you’ll find true happiness and change the world.

…

No matter where life takes you, go forward and make this community and the giants in your life proud. And along your way, never let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough. We’re more than ready, each and every one of us, to make our dreams come true.

Again, thank you everyone under this tent for coming out on this wonderful day. Thank you Class of 2008, and thank you Dover. I love you.

If you’re local, I highly recommend that you get a copy. The paper features Maia and me on the front page with a lovely photo; I couldn’t ask for anything better. If you’re not local, fear not. The article is online here. I really want to thank the article’s author, Jennifer Barry, for doing such a fantastic job.

Although I fully encourage you to read the article on the Harlem Valley Times website, I reprint it here for my own personal archival purposes.

Top students stick together

By: Jennifer Barry, Staff Reporter

06/19/2008

DOVER – After spending most of their high school careers taking similar classes, Dover High School seniors Richard Mondello and Maia Nguyen will be taking the podium together on June 28 as valedictorian and salutatorian to offer their remarks to the graduating class of 2008.

Mondello and Nguyen say that the race between the two of them for the title of valedictorian was a close one.

“In eighth grade we were both voted ‘Most Likely to Succeed,’” said Mondello, valedictorian for the Class of 2008. “So we’ve always been in a friendly competition throughout high school, especially for valedictorian.”

“He ended up winning, though,” said Nguyen, this year’s salutatorian.

As they finish up their last year at Dover, they look back over their years spent in the district.

“Leaving Dover (schools) behind is probably the scariest part of going to college for me,” said Mondello.

“That’s probably the saddest part for me,” said Nguyen. “I think I’m most nervous about the workload in college. And my roommate.”

After this year, Mondello will begin his collegiate career at Tufts University in Massachusetts where he plans to study computer science.

Nguyen will attend Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, where she intends to take courses in both biology and secondary education.

“I really look forward to the being able to learn so much in a more specific area,” said Mondello, when asked to project ahead to what college has in store.

Nguyen agreed, adding, “I’m also looking forward to being able to meet new people.”

Having come from a small school, both Nguyen and Mondello have strong ties to their former teachers and fond memories of time spent in Dover.

“There are so many teachers here that I will miss when we leave,” said Mondello. “They’ve left such a strong impact on me. I’ve really loved it here.”

“I’m going to miss Mrs. Watson,” said Nguyen. “And Mr. Rand. There’s really so many, you can’t just choose one or two.”

In addition to their academics, both students have been involved in the extra-curricular side of Dover, as well.

“We were both in Student Council and Senior Honor Society,” said Mondello. “I was the Student Council President for two years and I also did Mock Trial.”

Nguyen has a similar extra-curricular track, with the difference being that she was involved in the music program.

“I loved being a part of the Jazz Band and the Concert Band,” she said.

For Mondello and Nguyen, their past four years in Dover High School have kept them in close contact; they say that they both often look to each other for ideas and inspiration.

Some of their fondest memories, they said, were the pep rallies held at Dover.

During the last two years of their high school careers, the two were in charge of running the event for the entire school.

“We’re there the night before, making sure everything is set up and ready to go,” said Mondello.

“The pep rallies were always awesome,” said Nguyen. “That’s a time you really get to see the true colors of the school come out.”

Now as the year comes to a close, both Mondello and Nguyen are gearing up for their roles in the upcoming graduation.

“Coming from a small school, the top students tend to stick together,” Mondello said.

“We’re so used to bouncing ideas off of each other,” Nguyen added. “So right now we’re trying to work on our speeches, but we don’t want to influence each other. That’s making it really tough.”

Even if they succeed in keeping their speeches from affecting each other’s, the rest of Dover will get the opportunity to see if great minds do think alike.

Mondello and Nguyen will present their speeches at the Dover Graduation on June 28 at 10 a.m.

Read on to see the comments and my responses.

A Dover Dilemma

Christopher S. Penn wrote:

Who needs motivational speakers? Yeah, they’re nice, but chances are students probably miss the message anyway. Take the money, some money, and throw out a challenge to your student body – make a 3 minute motivational video on the topic of your choice – college is in your reach, live outside your comfort zone, etc. – and upload it to YouTube. The video that gets the most views wins a small scholarship or something.

Motivation only works if someone WANTS to be motivated. It’s like sales. If someone wants to buy, selling is easy. Convincing them that they want to buy if they in fact do not? Difficult. One of the sales tricks is to get someone to sell an item to themselves.

Get your students to sell themselves on motivation.

I completely agree. Then again, I get all the motivation I need from TED talks and great blogs!

I’d love to throw something like the YouTube contest you mentioned, but that would create havoc in a high school that doesn’t offer a basic computer class to students.

Unfortunately, I don’t think people around here want to be motivated. I’ll keep trying, though. Going to have to innovate on this one.

Kim wrote:

I’m proud of you for being so forward-thinking and standing up for yourself and the Student Council. It’s a really intelligent and mature decision. I’m very disappointed in DHS. I agree that not having a speaker is not the biggest tragedy; I couldn’t tell you who came to the school the past two years, let alone what they said.

But hm…I wonder, do you think you could find someone local to make a speech? Like a community member, who would maybe do it for free or at least a lot less than a professional speaker?

Or just do it yourself. I’m sure there are a lot of kids at that school who could do with following your example.

Thanks, Kim! Although I’ve made the call to not purchase the services of a speaker, the entire Student Council has a say in what we do with the assembly. I’m thinking about taking your advice about finding some local talent to speak in place of a hired hand. I can think of a few teachers and members of the community who may be able to pull us through. I’ll keep thinking of ideas in hopes of finding something innovative.

In terms of doing it myself – the Student Council President gives opening remarks at assemblies such as this. I’m considering expanding my opening remarks into a speech on the subject of the degradation of Dover High School. I have little to lose.

Chris wrote:

I’m really sorry to hear that your highschool is falling apart, too. Not only has Carmel Highschool had greater numbers of more severe fights this year than others, but crime in my town is ridiculous as well. Thieves smashing car windows to steal iPods and anything else that isn’t attached to the frame, psychopathic genitalia mutilating murderous wives, drug addicts sticking up Rite-Aid with shotguns, and two bank robberies in the past 30 days or so. What’s going on?

Holy crap! That’s crazy. Dover hasn’t quite gotten that bad. Our problems relate to an inability to punish people who cause serious trouble while simultaneously clamping down on more benign students.

Anonymous wrote:

Listen Rick… Everyone knows why our school is out of control… The reason starts with the new Administration/Dictatorship… As much as everyone hated Mr. Tierney for his “lack” of discipline look at the difference in our school from last year to this year… The way I see it is that a certain administrator feels the need to increase discipline which is just making the students rebel… I’m a senior and for the past 3 years, for the most part, I looked forward to going to school monday to friday… It was a very comfortable place to learn and hang out… This year however one can feel the sense of change in the school… Someone’s on a BIGGGGG power trip and it needs to stop… Last year I could walk the hallway without being badgered about every little thing but today I walk the hallway and I wonder what exactly am I doing wrong now?… Will I get suspended for walking on the wrong side of the hallway? Or God forbid a student goes to the bathroom… the teachers have to inform the office a student has left the classroom? And most recently students are no longer allowed into the attendance office… How about we just let Jackie into the office in the morning lock the door and not let her out until schools over? Because it’s obvious too many kids enjoy her personality and want to stop IN and say hello… DOVER DAY CARE IS BACK IN SERIVICE… ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?… The school needs to start treating students like high schoolers and less like kindergarteners… Last year, with a few exceptions, the highschoolers were treated, and acted like, high schoolers… Now this year rolls around and all of a sudden I feel like I’m back in daycare and these “high schoolers” are behaving like theyre preschoolers… Please tell me that its not on the “Administration” and its ALL on the students as many were originally so quick to say… Now it seems more people seem to be leaning in my direction… I feel sorry for the teachers who I have talked to me and have said in-directly whos fault it is… My heart especially goes out to our schools beloved hall monitors who obviously cannot stand they way things are being run in our school… Ricky I know youre smart.. How do you feel about this?… Here’s my final statement.. Our new principal is not fit to be a principal.. School is supposed to be a learning caring learning evniornment… I feel like I’m stuck in a Maximum Security prison… Dover High School is on lockdown… Changes start from the top… Lead by example… Something our school is lacking this year

I hear ya, bro/sis.

I’d rather not call out any individuals and place blame. I’m hoping that the situation is still salvageable.

US News and World Report, Media Literacy and Social Media

Edvisors Online Education wrote:

Very thoughtful and intelligent response. It would be fun to turn the table on Kimberly Palmer (the author of the USNews article) and ask her to justify the fact that her article is sponsored by several student loan companies (via Google Adwords).

I work with Chris Penn and we are all very proud of the work we do. We have a clear mission of “providing a richer, more fulfilling education experience to students, educators and parents worldwide”. We do this by providing a wide range of educational resources, including the Financial Aid Podcast. Believe me, it is not inexpensive to do this as the article implies – it is a lot of work. However, it is worth it as it build good will, helps students further their education, and yes, generates customers who appreciate the added value we can offer.

Good luck in school. We don’t need you to take a loan out with us – there are millions of student who we can serve. But definitely – keep talking about us!!!

Keep putting out compelling content and I’ll keep talking about you. It’s how Internet Karma works.

Chris wrote:

I don’t like how the article associated the Student Loan Network with deceptive marketing. As I don’t find the tactics of th SLN to be deceptive, the article’s insinuation is in itself a little sneaky. But I’m also not sure if we should be bashing the article that hard. Ignorance, especially in the context of loans, is extremely dangerous and terribly volatile. Look at the housing crisis. The clusterfuch of the loan market led to quite a lot of action on the part of the Federal Reserve to fix it, and the market’s collapse led to a dive in the dollar. The article is right about one thing. If you’re taking out a loan, you need to know everything about anything you’re agreeing to. I think it’s perfectly justifiable to call attention to this fact in the manner they did, although I would have chosen different examples.

The association of the Student Loan Network with deceptive marketing obviously angered me, too. The article took my happy story and spun it into an attempt to pray on a desperate student.

You’re absolutely right about ignorance concerning loans. In fact, that’s one of the things I spoke about in my interview. I criticized those television ads that go, “Get $40,000 right now!” for their lack of disclosure and tendency to lead student to over-borrow.

Your stance is more neutral and unbiased, and thus, less passionate. I’m too personally involved to take a stance that composed. I still maintain, though, that the root of the problem is basic media literacy and that deceptive marketing is only a secondary concern.

…

Thanks for all of the feedback, everyone! Although I can’t change anything about the US News and World Report article, I think I can still effect some change in Dover before I leave for college. At least, I’ll give it a shot.

By the way, let me know if you think a larger feedback-addressing post like this is a good thing every once in a while.

Click here and read the article for yourself before reading my commentary. Be sure to take some time and analyze it. I never want to impose my opinions on anyone and I’d like your honest feedback. I think the article raises concerns about marketing, media literacy, and social media.

Some Thoughts

The article you just read involved my Internet-based quest to find information about financial aid and my relationship with the Financial Aid Podcast and its parents company, the Student Loan Network.

I’ll be forthright with you; I’m not disturbed by the article, but I’m not pleased with it either. I think it paints me as a typical student, taken advantage of by clever marketing. It juxtaposes a positive story of me getting a serious question answered with the threat of biased information. Luckily, we live in an age where any individual can share his or her side of a story with a blog; that’s my goal for this post.

The story I shared with Kimberly Palmer, the article’s author, is approaching its happy ending. Although I myself am biased, I strongly believe this isn’t an instance of me getting taken advantage of. After my Dad lost his job last year, I needed to communicate this change of income to my colleges. I felt that the CSS/Profile application didn’t go far enough in this regard, and wanted to make sure I did this properly. Being a loyal listener to the Financial Aid Podcast, I sent Christopher Penn an email to see if he could help me out.

Within hours of the next morning, I had dozens of emails sent to me by financial aid professionals. For me, a student panicked about the entire financial aid process, this was tremendous. For that, I was and am very grateful. Thanks to my academic rigor, some preparation, and information from the Financial Aid Podcast, I’ve been accepted to some great colleges with some stellar financial aid packages.

As Kimberly wrote in the US News article, I would turn to the Student Loan Network for a private student loan. Here’s the ultimate irony; it appears unlikely that I’ll even need a private student loan for college.

Where I Take Issue

The forth paragraph of the US News article is what I consider the offending paragraph.

But consumer advocates are concerned that students may not realize or consider that these educational messages are coming from people who want their business, not unbiased sources. “It looks a little bit too much like disinterested information when in fact it is a student loan company…. There’s a conflict there,” says Robert Shireman, executive director of the Project on Student Debt, of the Student Loan Network’s website and podcast. (Penn says the company affiliation is always clearly displayed.)

Conflicts of interests are always a problem. In my own high school career, I’ve had to step back from situations involving different parties I’m affiliated with for ethical reasons. A student loan company putting out information on financial aid and painting it as pro bono would most certainly raise concerns. However, in the case of the Financial Aid Podcast, there is a clear disclaimer at the beginning of every episode.

The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

As a result of that disclaimer, I take everything from the podcast with a grain of salt – as should every other listener. Fortunately, Christopher’s style of marketing in the podcast revolves around plugging (or mentioning) other properties of the Student Loan Network, often prefaced with, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one of our services, X.”

These are clear and upfront disclaimers. In my opinion, marketers will always be marketers. It’s their job to manipulate you into purchasing their product or service, and this isn’t arguable. This may or may not be a problem depending on one’s personal philosophy, but I’ve grown to accept it. If I ever felt that the helpful content of the Financial Aid Podcast was compromised by slanted information, I’d refuse to listen to it.

This notion of marketers masking their intentions is sidestepping the real issue.

Media Literacy

Wikipedia claims that media literacy uses “an inquiry-based instructional model that encourages people to ask questions about what they watch, see and read.” Media literacy is a fundamental skill in a functioning democracy, one that students evidentially aren’t taught these days. Al Gore speaks about this at length in one of my favorite books, The Assault on Reason. He argues that democracy can only exist in a country with a healthy marketplace of ideas, where the citizenry can discern the media’s intent.

The fact that an article like this even needed to be written is a sad statement on the current affairs in our nation. One must always be critical of someone trying to sell them something. The very motivational Randy Pausch claims that the same reasoning applies to something as complicated as a romantic relationship. He gives simple advice for women dealing with men who they suspect are romantically interested in them.

Don’t listen to a word they say. Observe their actions.

It’s actions that build trust, not words. If we’re on the Internet, what constitutes as an action?

Building Trust with Social Media

Again, quoting Wikipedia.

Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words and pictures. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning, as people share their stories, and understandings. … Social media can take many different forms, including Internet forums, message boards, weblogs, wikis, podcasts, pictures and video.

I wrote earlier that I’d turn to the Student Loan Network for a private student loan, if necessary. I trust them because I trust the CTO of the company, Christopher Penn. Why is it that I’d trust a man that I’ve never met?

Like other social media pioneers, Christopher is transparent. Much like myself, he has two very important things, a personal blog and a twitter account. Personal blogs let people express their thoughts, long-form; it’s exactly what I’m doing right now! This pales in importance, however, to feedback and responding to feedback, usually in the form of comments. Responses and gestures are actions, and these are clear-as-day on twitter.

Twitter

There are those who get twitter and those who don’t. If you don’t get it, watch Twitter in Plain English.

If you read someone’s quasi-stream of consciousness for long enough, I think you can confidently judge his or her character. There are twitterers out there who I wouldn’t want to come close to and there are others who I’d pay to have lunch with. I’ve read the tweets of dozens of different people and I’ve followed and unfollowed them depending on their usefulness to me and their personal values.

It’s this transparency that lets me confidentially put my trust into a person, and thus, his or her company. If all students could learn to discern who is worthy of their trust and who isn’t, the problem addressed in Kimberly’s article would disappear.

The Takeaway

The ultimate lesson from this all is different depending on whether you’re the content creator or the content consumer. Creators should strive for transparency using social media tools and networks while consumers should always keep a critical eye on these creators. If both sides make a decent effort to do these things, our world would be a better place.

This is what I wish the US News article had discussed.

[19:47] Exposay: jasoncalacanis is sitting around wondering how to market to us all

[19:49] jasoncalacanis: exposay: are you saying i would market to people as the CEO of www.mahalo.com and a blogger at www.calacanis.com with an RSS feed of www.calacanis.com/rss.xml? next thing you’ll say I’m trying to get folks to sign up for www.twitter.com/jasoncalacanis !

[19:49] jasoncalacanis: really

[19:49] Exposay: jasoncalacanis, after that, I think you owe me, Richard Mondello of http://richardmondello.com/ a follow on twitter at twitter.com/rmondello/ because I’m a huge fan.

[19:51] jasoncalacanis: exposay: done!

Awesome. Ego inflation in action via twitter.

Direct MP3 link. My comment is 23:36 in.