EDUCATORS ALSO KNOW HOW TO BOOGIE

The region was brimming with the bright colors, elegant black and no-back dresses of high school proms this past weekend. For an inside look at some of the playful camaraderie, close dancing, striking fashions and sentimental smiles, you might want to look at www.semissourian.com on the Internet.

The Southeast Missourian has posted more than 60 photographs from the end-of-the-year affairs at Jackson High School, Notre Dame Regional High School and Cape Girardeau's Central High School. One of my favorite images includes Brother David Migliorino, principal at Notre Dame, dancing a line dance with a cluster of dazzling young ladies.

Southeast Missourian photographer Stephan Frazier probably had his fill of proms for the year (decade?), but his photographs captured a wide range of the activities.

Talking about Brother David, he was honored last week along with four others by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce as one of the area's outstanding educators. Other honorees included Terry Kitchen and Mary Lou Shelton, athletic director and math teacher at Central High School, respectively; Candy Hahs, Latin teacher at Saxony Lutheran High School; and Dr. Ernest Kern, geosciences and science education teacher at Southeast Missouri State University.

Among the highlights of the awards banquet were video interviews with the five award winners, who talked about their love of teaching, some of the people who influenced them and their interests outside of the school room. KBSI-TV did an excellent job in producing these clips, which were given as mementos to the winners.

In his introduction to the evening, chamber education committee chairman Bill Kiel highlighted some of the common characteristics of the outstanding educators: a passion for teaching, a genuine respect and concern for students, honesty, consistency, empathy and dedication. In the videos and acceptance speeches, another common quality became evident: Each of the winners has a gift for humor. The evening was filled with much laughter and not a few tears. Cape Girardeau -- indeed, the whole area -- is certainly blessed by the teaching community we have here.

Limbaugh book signing

From 7 to 8 p.m. today at Barnes & Noble, David Limbaugh will be signing copies of his book, "Absolute Power," about the Reno Justice Department during the Clinton presidency. I haven't read the book yet (I've been wrapped up in a few others), although it's sitting on a table in my apartment. But by all accounts it is a compelling and provocative read.

David has recently become a star on TV news programs, where he peddles his book while talking about the track record of the former attorney general. No doubt those who disagree with his politics will find cause to criticize the conclusions in the book, even if David supports them with an extensive record. But I imagine few who actually know him will disagree that the kind of success he has had as a first-time author couldn't have happened to a nicer, more honorable guy.

And knowing David, he's probably a bit embarrassed by all the attention in his hometown, preferring to defer the spotlight to the merits of his arguments rather than to anything about him personally. Alas, such is the price of fame. If you have a chance to stop by Barnes & Noble tonight, it should be a worthwhile event.

Russian feedback

A few times in the past several months, I have had occasion to write in this space about Russian experiences of mine. Apparently, my note that in the 1990s most Russians did not wear deodorant or that some Russian waiters played a game of double billing customers struck an outdated chord. "Those are no longer true," explained Victoria Vygodskaia, who is a student at Southeast Missouri State University from Minsk, Belarus. I'll take her word for it.

It's amazing, really, to look around the world and contemplate how quickly life changes. Enjoy what's around you now. Who knows for sure what's around the next bend. And if you are struggling now, know that it won't always be so. Seeking God's power is always a good place to start to make a change.

Jon K. Rust is co-president of Rust Communications.