Former professional football player hosts leadership conference

During the build up to Super Bowl XVI, Onaway Area Community Schools hosted a former NFL player.

It was just coincidence as he was in town Thursday to talk about ?character,? and not whether the Bears defense can stop Peyton Manning in this Sunday?s title game.

Keith Nord, who played seven seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, was at the school for an all-day speaking engagement. Schools from around the area were invited to the leadership conference. Taking up Onaway?s offer were Rogers City, Inland Lakes, Alanson, and Cheboygan.

DURING THE earliest session of the day, Nord talked to students who serve as leaders in their respective schools. Some of the members of the OHS student council were in attendance for the interactive discussion, and all were wearing red T-shirts with ?Student Council? written in black letters on one side and their name on the other.

Penny James, National Honor Society advisor, organized the event, and said nobody was going to make it through the morning session without getting involved.

?They have already been called on, and they are already a little nervous,? said James. ?Mostly the Onaway kids, I thought.? Each of the students involved in the first session of the day had to write a one-page essay to attend.

?HIS MAIN focus is primarily on character development, recognizing the ability you have as a high school student to influence other students, not only in your school but also at the younger ages,? said Jeff Heethuis, a representative of Jostens, the company which sells and distributes class rings throughout the region. They sponsored the event at no cost.

Before breaking into groups, Nord discussed ways of becoming a better leader, such as taking a stand when someone does, or says something inappropriate because ?people are watching you.?

Nord had the students? pair off into groups of two, preferably male and female. He told them to each think of the three of the most important moments of their lives and take 30 seconds to tell their partner about the top moment.

AFTERWARD, NORD sai

d most of them used very few words and only about five seconds of the allotted time. He also noticed that several of the students folded their arms and looked away while listening or sharing their moment.

?If you cannot stand up and look someone in the eye and share something you believe in, you?ll never have the influence you could have had,? said Nord. ?You can all learn it, you can all do it.?

Nord will have spoken to more than 1,000 students by the end of the week from Kalamazoo to Onaway. He spoke before an assembled group of Onaway students, sixth through 12 grades, later in the afternoon.

Along with Nord?s accomplishments on the field, which included the awarding of five game balls from his teammates, Nord was named the Muscular Dystrophy and March of Dimes Citizen of the Year, as well as the Viking?s NFL Man of the Year.