High school principal recognized for winning state FBLA award

Central High School principal Mike Cowan was recognized by the Cape Girardeau School Board on Monday for winning the state FBLA Administrator of the Year award.

This is the first time Cowan has won the award, which was presented at the 2014 Missouri FBLA Leadership Conference, held April 13 through 15 in Columbia, Missouri. FBLA stands for Future Business Leaders of America.

"I'm just flattered and humbled and I think whenever you win an award by virtue of being nominated by your students, that's, in my mind, one of the greatest tributes a teacher can receive," Cowan said, adding he was awarded a nice plaque.

Cowan was nominated by Central High School FBLA adviser Theresa Taylor and FBLA president Aaron Mehner.

"FBLA [is] a wonderful organization here in the state of Missouri that is extremely professional in everything they do," Cowan said.

"I certainly want to express my appreciation to our FBLA students and our adviser Theresa Taylor," he added.

Taylor wrote a nomination letter, but recommendations also were penned -- without Cowan's knowledge -- by assistant principal Craig Hayden and Marlene Rothenberger, Cowan's administrative assistant.

Cowan said he received copies of the recommendations this week and will keep them in his memory book.

Cowan has been in education for 39 years, putting in eight years at Columbia Hickman High School, 10 years at Clayton High School and Valley Park High School in St. Louis before arriving at Central High, where he has been for the past 13 years.

Cowan often uses the word "wonder" in greetings or sign-offs. For example, when someone calls Cowan's office and gets his voice mail, they can look forward the traditional greeting, plus an invitation to enjoy these moments of "recorded wonder."

Asked where that came from, Cowan said he is a person of faith.

"I've always taught Sunday school, still do; I'm a big student of the Bible. Early on, I was studying for the ministry. That sense of joy has always been a prize value and characteristic," he said.

Arriving at Central each day at 5:46 a.m., Cowan said he parks in the spot farthest from the building. Along with giving him a chance for prayer before starting his day, the journey allows him to walk a greater part of the building. "It serves lots of purposes, not to mention it's good exercise," he said.

FBLA is a career and technical student organization for all high school students participating in business programs. More than 3,760 members and advisers representing 450 chapters throughout the state met at this conference, a news release said.

In other business, the board:

* Recognized Sydney Messerli as the Southeast Missouri Superintendents Association scholarship recipient.

* Recognized the Central High School boys basketball team as district champions.

* Heard an instructional technology report from instructional technologist Ron Farrow, who presented a report on teachers' and students' progress with the new convertible laptop devices.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, Mo.