I've been to over 60 plus schools in Iowa and it isn't every day I am initially greeted by a grill cook barbecuing chicken and hamburgers at the front of the school. In a show of appreciation for the teachers, PTA members were offering these teachers a free lunch - talk about your timing. I opted for the cheeseburger.

My host at Virgil Grissom was Amy Lamfers who had earned many merit badges along the way as a teacher at Virgil Grissom. The school is located about a half mile away from the Mississippi River west of Highway 67. The school's river charm conjured up notions of Tom Sawyer, one-room schoolhouses, and rafting at a leisurely pace on the Mighty Mississip'.

These students, though, loved their baseball and hitting a home run was more on their mind than catching bullfrogs. Still, I included fishing at Creeper's Pond because fat, juicy nightcrawlers, chicken liver, and camping out is still a pretty cool thing to do even in an age of text-messaging and face-booking.

I call on many volunteers when I speak to students because I want all children to have an opportunity to shine in front of their fellow classmates. However, I can't call on all students. This will naturally leave a few students frustrated when they aren't called on. I had one student lower his head and cry when he realized my speech had ended without his being called on. I pulled the young man aside to offer him my own personal attention and this worked until I had to shift my focus to a few new students who had additional questions to ask me.

When is enough enough? I have driven over 6000 miles in Iowa and have spoken to over 30,000 students and I never quite feel I have given enough to each student. I am sure my dilemma is a constant reminder to many teachers as well. I guess in the end this is what drives us all who are willing to give of our time to help our youth who cry out the loudest. And yet what concerns me the most are the students who refuse to ask for help because like one male student said today rings clear in the mindset of many boys: "Don't expect me to scream like a girl."

Schools today have turned to computers believing the computer can give more one-on-one attention time to students. Why is it we believe that technology is what is needed most to solve the ills of our society? Too much of our time already is shared with these impersonal devices.

I'll let you in on a little secret that my dad taught me. Have more moms and dads volunteer to take a kid to the ballgame. Nothing makes more of an impact on these kids than a little one-on-one time. I'll never forget Dad placing his massive hand on top of my head and reassuring me that like Pete Rose or Johnny Bench I could be anything I wanted to be in the good old U.S. of A just like Pete - Charlie Hustle. You know what, I still believe you, Dad.