Future is BRIGHT with mentor program

The vigorous debate now taking place on the state budget in the Ohio House serves to overshadow a gem of a state program — one of the best ever to come out of state government. BRIGHT New Leaders for Ohio Schools, now seeking continued appropriation from legislators, is simple in concept.

BRIGHT recruits established leaders from all walks of life — education, business, the military and nonprofits. It gives them intensive education training and an MBA at Ohio State, and then places them in highpoverty school buildings where there is desperate need for their talents.

I was one of 30 CEOs assigned a BRIGHT candidate to mentor. I work with Geron Tate, who grew up in Columbus, majored in accounting at Capital University, coached AAU basketball, and enjoyed a successful professional career as a financial analyst in the private sector. Still something was missing for Tate. After being admitted to BRIGHT’s yearlong study program, including a principal internship at Starling STEM School, Tate now is serving as the assistant principal at Windsor Elementary, widely seen as one of the most challenging assignments among all Columbus public schools.

My company and I have been deeply impressed by his passion and commitment to changing the world by creating a “brighter” future for our kids.

BRIGHT’s second class of approximately 30 fellows now is in training. If results of the program continue to be as strong as early reviews indicate, BRIGHT leaders will be in strong demand and the program will expand.

I thank the General Assembly for its consideration in expanding Ohio’s modest financial commitment to BRIGHT. Because of the talent and dedication of Ohioans recruited by BRIGHT, we get a huge return on investment in improving education, arguably our state’s most compelling challenge year after year.