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Keokuk, Warsaw high school students enjoy interacting with community business leaders, solving ethical dilemmas
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| Ed Kiedaisch (far left), co-owner of DockGuard America in Keokuk, and Susie G., KOKX deejay (seated to his left), were table leaders Wednesday at the annual “Ethical Decision Making in the Workplace and Society” seminar sponsored by the Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce. |
By Diane Vance/Gate City Staff Writer
High school juniors from Keokuk and Warsaw, Ill., spent most of the school day together Wednesday, participating in the annual “Ethical Decision Making in the Workplace and Society” seminar sponsored by the Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce.
Seated at round tables in groups of six or seven, students worked with one or two community business leaders throughout the day.
Clark County School District Superintendent Ritchie Kracht and CCR-1 High School Principal Jason Harper observed the program in the morning.
“Ethical decisions are important to all students,” said Harper. “This is a great opportunity for students to meet with peers and listen to one another.”
Harper will send CCR-1 juniors to the seminar next year after being favorably impressed with the program.
“Our school board member Miles Cameron has participated before and invited us to attend,” he said. “Ethics affect us all of our lives on the job, at school and with our families. Any time we can improve a way of learning for students, we want to participate. This is very relevant for students.
“It's always good for students to interact with students from other schools,” Harper said. “Students build relationships and can look at an issue through another's point of view.”
Cameron is a loan officer at KSB Bank in Keokuk.
David Wendt, student services director at Keokuk High School, emceed, introducing the day's program and outlining activities.
“We were told we could take as many M&M candies as we wanted,” said KHS student Frank Waisath. “Then at our table, we were asked to describe a trait about ourselves, one for each M&M we had. It was a good ice-breaker.”
Students each had a packet. They were asked to mark statements that are important to them out of a list of 40, then rank their top four or five from their choices. Choices included - to be attractive to members of the opposite sex; to graduate with honors; a financially comfortable life; to accomplish something worthwhile; being a change agent; owning a possession of great value; to speak up for personal beliefs; time for prayer; and other diverse choices.
Another page had a list of value characteristics such as sincerity, honesty, integrity, emotional well-being, education, intelligence, appearance, beauty, approval, emotional security, independence, courage, perseverance and more for students to choose.
Students discussed and defined what's important to them, what are values and how people acquire values.
A synopsis of an ethical dilemma involving one human heart and five heart transplant recipient candidates occupied a block of morning time.
“Do we want to consider the age factor or mental stability of the candidates?” asked a table leader.
At another table, Ed Kiedaisch, a Keokuk business owner, and Susie G., a KOKX radio deejay, talked with students from Warsaw and Keokuk. The table group had narrowed their consensus to the top two candidates.
“Remember you'll want to justify your choice,” Kiedaisch said. “We had discussions about Bill and Dave and which one will impact others' lives the most.
“These scenarios and questions are written to trigger thoughts and decisions. There's not one right answer. We've narrowed the heart transplant recipient choices using certain criteria. The table group has to reach a consensus.”
At another table with school board member and Roquette engineer Bruce Dunek and Keokuk dentist Dr. Ed Kircher, Keokuk students talked about the heart recipient candidates and trying to balance which person was most needed by their family.
“Cora seems more prepared for death, more resigned,” said a student. “She's been with her family a long time.”
The biological fact sheet about Cora describes her as a 30-year-old white female, married for 11 years with five children, ages 10 years to four months old.
The table group had eliminated both females as good candidates. Edna was described as a 34-year-old white female, single, an executive in a large manufacturing company.
The three males are Alfred, 45-year-old white male, married for 21 years, with a son 18 and a daughter 15. He is a research physicist working on a cancer immunization project and possibly on the verge of a significant medical discovery.
Bill is described as a 27-year old black American, married five years with a daughter 3 and a second child due in three months. He is an auto mechanic at a car dealership, attending night school. He would like to open his own auto transmission shop when he finishes school.
David is a 19-year-old white college student, engaged to be married. A sophomore, he wants to earn a Ph.D. and be a college professor.
“Are there any right or wrong choices here?” Kircher asked his group.
Students answered no.
“We need to keep emotions and psychological factors out of this,” said Kircher.
Along with the biographies of the five heart transplant candidates, pre-admission interviews taken by hospital psychological staff and that evaluation information was given to the students.
“If we give the heart to one patient, and it is rejected, can that heart be used for another?” a student asked.
Kircher said no.
KHS student Emily Barrett said people in jobs that have to make these type of decisions must have a lot of regrets or second thoughts about what if this other person was chosen instead of this one.
Asked why they volunteered to attend this one-day seminar, Waisath said he'd heard the program generates good discussions.
“I wanted to attend something different,” he said.
“Other students told me it's a good experience,” said Zen Gatton, KHS student. “It's a good experience to have discussions about ethics and decisions. It helps to talk with others about the choices.
“It's nice to have two different table leaders with different occupations who see things from two different views. Hearing others' discussions and reasons helps me decide.”
Kircher also was anxious to participate. This was his first year to attend.
“We have to consider ethics, values and morals in everything we do,” he said.
KHS student Alicia Logan said she liked the program because it was more comfortable to have these type of discussions in small groups.
“I thought it sounded like a good experience,” said WHS student Tyler Thill. “I heard there would be several business leaders attending. I wanted to hear their perspective and about their experiences.”
Thill wants to study engineering so he was especially glad to be a part of Kiedaisch's group. He also talked with Dunek.
“I already knew one of the Keokuk students at my table,” he said. “It was good to listen to students who attend a larger school. I thought the program was good. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it. It helped solidify some of my own values. I thought the best thing was getting to talk with the business leaders.”
Other table leaders were Doug Shipman, advertising manager at the Daily Gate City; Barb Whitten of Res Care; Julie Graham; Kelly Marshall and Kristi Plumb, manager of Keokuk Wal-Mart.
Seated at round tables in groups of six or seven, students worked with one or two community business leaders throughout the day.
Clark County School District Superintendent Ritchie Kracht and CCR-1 High School Principal Jason Harper observed the program in the morning.
“Ethical decisions are important to all students,” said Harper. “This is a great opportunity for students to meet with peers and listen to one another.”
Harper will send CCR-1 juniors to the seminar next year after being favorably impressed with the program.
“Our school board member Miles Cameron has participated before and invited us to attend,” he said. “Ethics affect us all of our lives on the job, at school and with our families. Any time we can improve a way of learning for students, we want to participate. This is very relevant for students.
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Cameron is a loan officer at KSB Bank in Keokuk.
David Wendt, student services director at Keokuk High School, emceed, introducing the day's program and outlining activities.
“We were told we could take as many M&M candies as we wanted,” said KHS student Frank Waisath. “Then at our table, we were asked to describe a trait about ourselves, one for each M&M we had. It was a good ice-breaker.”
Students each had a packet. They were asked to mark statements that are important to them out of a list of 40, then rank their top four or five from their choices. Choices included - to be attractive to members of the opposite sex; to graduate with honors; a financially comfortable life; to accomplish something worthwhile; being a change agent; owning a possession of great value; to speak up for personal beliefs; time for prayer; and other diverse choices.
Another page had a list of value characteristics such as sincerity, honesty, integrity, emotional well-being, education, intelligence, appearance, beauty, approval, emotional security, independence, courage, perseverance and more for students to choose.
Students discussed and defined what's important to them, what are values and how people acquire values.
A synopsis of an ethical dilemma involving one human heart and five heart transplant recipient candidates occupied a block of morning time.
“Do we want to consider the age factor or mental stability of the candidates?” asked a table leader.
At another table, Ed Kiedaisch, a Keokuk business owner, and Susie G., a KOKX radio deejay, talked with students from Warsaw and Keokuk. The table group had narrowed their consensus to the top two candidates.
“Remember you'll want to justify your choice,” Kiedaisch said. “We had discussions about Bill and Dave and which one will impact others' lives the most.
“These scenarios and questions are written to trigger thoughts and decisions. There's not one right answer. We've narrowed the heart transplant recipient choices using certain criteria. The table group has to reach a consensus.”
At another table with school board member and Roquette engineer Bruce Dunek and Keokuk dentist Dr. Ed Kircher, Keokuk students talked about the heart recipient candidates and trying to balance which person was most needed by their family.
“Cora seems more prepared for death, more resigned,” said a student. “She's been with her family a long time.”
The biological fact sheet about Cora describes her as a 30-year-old white female, married for 11 years with five children, ages 10 years to four months old.
The table group had eliminated both females as good candidates. Edna was described as a 34-year-old white female, single, an executive in a large manufacturing company.
The three males are Alfred, 45-year-old white male, married for 21 years, with a son 18 and a daughter 15. He is a research physicist working on a cancer immunization project and possibly on the verge of a significant medical discovery.
Bill is described as a 27-year old black American, married five years with a daughter 3 and a second child due in three months. He is an auto mechanic at a car dealership, attending night school. He would like to open his own auto transmission shop when he finishes school.
David is a 19-year-old white college student, engaged to be married. A sophomore, he wants to earn a Ph.D. and be a college professor.
“Are there any right or wrong choices here?” Kircher asked his group.
Students answered no.
“We need to keep emotions and psychological factors out of this,” said Kircher.
Along with the biographies of the five heart transplant candidates, pre-admission interviews taken by hospital psychological staff and that evaluation information was given to the students.
“If we give the heart to one patient, and it is rejected, can that heart be used for another?” a student asked.
Kircher said no.
KHS student Emily Barrett said people in jobs that have to make these type of decisions must have a lot of regrets or second thoughts about what if this other person was chosen instead of this one.
Asked why they volunteered to attend this one-day seminar, Waisath said he'd heard the program generates good discussions.
“I wanted to attend something different,” he said.
“Other students told me it's a good experience,” said Zen Gatton, KHS student. “It's a good experience to have discussions about ethics and decisions. It helps to talk with others about the choices.
“It's nice to have two different table leaders with different occupations who see things from two different views. Hearing others' discussions and reasons helps me decide.”
Kircher also was anxious to participate. This was his first year to attend.
“We have to consider ethics, values and morals in everything we do,” he said.
KHS student Alicia Logan said she liked the program because it was more comfortable to have these type of discussions in small groups.
“I thought it sounded like a good experience,” said WHS student Tyler Thill. “I heard there would be several business leaders attending. I wanted to hear their perspective and about their experiences.”
Thill wants to study engineering so he was especially glad to be a part of Kiedaisch's group. He also talked with Dunek.
“I already knew one of the Keokuk students at my table,” he said. “It was good to listen to students who attend a larger school. I thought the program was good. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it. It helped solidify some of my own values. I thought the best thing was getting to talk with the business leaders.”
Other table leaders were Doug Shipman, advertising manager at the Daily Gate City; Barb Whitten of Res Care; Julie Graham; Kelly Marshall and Kristi Plumb, manager of Keokuk Wal-Mart.
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