By Kevin Vestal, For The Miami Student
Frederic Reeder is a self-professed rambler, especially when it comes to education.
"I always thought the way to solve the money issue in schools is that teachers should wear logos when they teach," he says.
"So imagine a fifth grade teacher having Coca-Cola and ivory soap and all these different logos like a NASCAR driver all over their outfits. Companies would sponsor these ads, so the teachers would make a lot more money. The school district wouldn't have to pay them as much and you'd free up all this money for art classes and music classes and all those things that are important."
Fred's father, a superintendent, would swoop into struggling school districts to turn things around. His successful policies came at a price, as rural school board members repeatedly voted him out for upsetting the apple cart.
Young Fred didn't quite understand why his family had to move each time, but he hated losing contact with his friends after each move. Now a father himself, Fred wants his own kids, Charlie and Annie, to stay planted.
Fred eventually found a career in education himself. He taught high school English to both AP scholars and students who "could not write a coherent paragraph."
His work in the classroom would later be featured in TIME Magazine. Inspired by the tragic Columbine shooting, Reeder asked his students to report on high school life, everything from cliques to campus security.
"I've been lucky to have a lot of talented, passionate students in my life," he says.
A former writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer, Fred now runs On Campus Sports. His startup company hopes to get college students covering college sports, empowering budding sports journalists as internship opportunities dwindle.
During the week, Fred continues teaching journalism at Miami University, his alma matter.
Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Mr. Reeder's first name. It is Frederic, not Frederick.
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