Q&A by: Sydney Bennett
Oak Park was honored with the title of “Cool School” on Friday, April 6. Northmen News caught up with PTA President Jeff Cook to talk about the Cool SD
NorthmenNews: How does a school become nominated for Cool School?
Jeff Cook, President of PTA: There is a nomination procedure that must take place between the nominator and KCTV5. The letter must highlight Academic/Organization/Club successes within a High School. Athletics cannot be considered in the nomination. The person who nominates a school can be anyone, but it really needs to be someone who is keenly aware of the successes of the school. (The letter that was submitted is attached to this email) KCTV5 receives hundreds of nominations each year; they select the best nomination based on the school’s success.
NN: What does Booster Club do to prepare?
JC: Once I was notified, the PTSA/Booster Club arranged for Chris Cakes of Louisburg, Kansas to be the breakfast caterer, and committees were established to make sure that every part of the morning would flow smoothly. As President, I was responsible for coordinating with Chris Cakes, and to meet them at the School at 3:30AM on Friday April 6th.
NN: How was the turn out?
JC: The turnout was excellent. Chris Cakes served 480 students, faculty, staff and PTSA/Booster Club members, and KCTV5’s representative complimented us on the high turnout. I was personally told that it was one of the best of the year.
NN: Last year, there was a problem with the food getting to the school on time, were there any issues this year?
JC: Yes, their truck broke down and it was the first time that had happened to them in five years. This year, they arrived on Thursday night and spent the night in the south parking lot so that history wouldn’t repeat itself. Everything worked as planned, and I couldn’t have been happier.
NN: As the president of PTA, what does this honor, for the school that you contribute so much to, mean?
JC: I am so proud of Oak Park. We’ve had great years before, but everything came together this year in so many facets. A sense of pride of OP is instilled in our Organization, and to me, we were able to proudly wear our “Blue on Blue, Through and Through” to the tens of thousands in the Kansas City Metro area that watch KCTV5 News in the morning. We have always been a great school; however, we have never been as great as we are this year. Being the father of a 2001 OPHS Graduate, the difference between then and now is beyond description. My blood runs Royal Blue and Columbia Blue.