Mayor speaks at elementary school on overcoming challenges

Marcus Clem, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read

Oct. 20—Mayor John Josendale visited Edison Elementary on Thursday morning as part of a special event introducing students to local leaders who can help them on the path to education.

During his speech to the I.D.E.A. Mentoring group, Josendale said that as a youth enrolled in a military boarding school, he had many personal challenges to face, such as a strict academic and residential environment and a climate of bullying at the school.

"You realize that the majority of those kids will have some type of experience similar to that, so it was easy to use that story or that experience that I had," he said.

Experiences like Josendale's underscore the purpose of I.D.E.A. Mentoring, which stands for "inspiring dreams and encouraging achievements," a product of David Foster, president of the St. Joseph Board of Education. Edison Elementary student Suraya Osborne said she found Josendale's story interesting and informative, in the sense that it is evidence severe challenges can be overcome, not in that she has any intent on following in his footsteps.

"I liked the story, but if I were him, I don't know that I would be able to survive in military school because it sounds super strict," she said. "But his story was, like, really inspiring and it is really kind of awesome what he's been through and how he overcame that."

Amid the discussion, Josendale presented Osborne with a challenge coin representative of the I.D.E.A. Mentoring theme of "Overcoming Challenges" and also pledging to be a friend and a mentor for her going forward — all this happening while other students took in what was happening at Edison Elementary. I.D.E.A. Mentoring plans to have future events of this kind.

Foster said that he considers Josendale to be his own personal mentor in matters of public service.

"Whether he knows it or not, and I think he does," he told the students. "He's really done a whole lot for me."

Marcus Clem can be reached at marcus.clem@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NPNowClem