Face II Face Scarface Face The Nation With Bob Schieffer A Face In The Crowd

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin., #203, 8912-156 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5R 5Z2

January Vth, MMXII

Hon. Thomas Lukaszuk, MLA, Minister of Education,
Progressive Conservative, Edmonton-Castledowns

Dear Thomas:

While I agree with writer Douglas Quenqua that Facebook & other social networking sites have sort of destroyed High School reunions, & the personal touch that goes along with them; I also believe these sites have done a lot of good. IV instance, even though I have CCCLVII (357) High School Credits, & have almost been given a IIIrd High School Diploma IV my efforts, I am of limited funds due to medical troubles & so cannot always travel II far & strongly feel that should not be an impediment II me.

As a result, I would argue IV me that Facebook & its astute Founder & Chairman, Mark Zuckerberg, as well their competitors have done well by me. As many of High School Alumnus compatriots from Edmonton Christian High School do not live in Edmonton. Sure there was a Xth Anniversary Reunion, & I believe there will be a XXth this year. But many of these students cannot make it, especially of course b/c of family, work, house of worship, & community obligations. Still others might have medical conditions or children or parents/family members that are so incapacitated that they may never be able II leave those relatives. So piping inII a reunion thru an online feed gives them that feeling of still belonnging II their class community in full living III dimensional color.

I also went to Athabasca University & graduated in December MCMXCIX. This was a correspondence university. So I took two classes that were available in the city I lived in, which was (& is) Edmonton. Another I took in Athabasca, but of course I had II drive 1 hour 45 minutes each way once a week. It got so cost prohibitive IV me I was instead allowed to call in by speaker phone from the Edmonton, Alberta campus. I sent in my assignments via email, mail, fax, courier, whatever it took II do them II the best of my ability. In both high school & university I met many great students & I still keep in touch with them. But we had our reunion online for my business degree class. No one felt slighted. A few of the class members met up in Edmonton at a restaurant & drove out II Athabasca on a lark II get great visuals IV us that couldn't make it & then email II us.

No, I would argue vociferously that Facebook, cellular phones, other social sites, landlines, letters, faxes, video recordings, still pictures, audio recordings all do the trick. Maybe we are not in on the action up close & personal as we were beIV. But we are through these alternate mediums at least trying II keep the lines of social hospital.ity & glorious academic/personal memories alive!

Mr. Quenqua Is An Outstanding Author,

Rory

Source: The New York Times, Douglas Quenqua.