Carroll County’s Agents of Change

Written By: Lisa Breslin
In May, Carroll Magazine sent an email to the leaders of several Carroll County organizations, including, but not limited to, the Chamber of Commerce, The Carroll Community Foundation, Carroll County Public Library, Carroll Community College, McDaniel College, and Human Services Programs.

We told them that we wanted to feature people who have been catalysts for change. Our goal was to celebrate them as Change Agents and share with our readers what motivates these unsung heroes as well as some of the changes they have sparked. Many outstanding names surfaced.

We have selected five Agents of Change for this issue.

Frank Baylor
Noted for rejuvenating the local food bank and serving as an active volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and the local arts center.

Who are your mentors?
My parents, Bill and Ruth Baylor, from whom I learned the value and reward of hard work. My in-laws, Fred and Priscilla Teeter, helped me see the value of patience and the Golden Rule for all people. In Scouts, I had amazing leaders, among them James Ringrose and countless teachers and coaches.

What are your accomplishments?
I have tried to be helpful as a volunteer. I’m proud of my design for Habitat for Humanity on Union Street.
I’m proud to be a part of the Arts Center’s growth and FLICC for film lovers.
With others, I’ve helped raise awareness and money for Carroll Food Sunday. Our fundraiser Off the Shelf has been unique, fun, and successful.

What motivates you?
Meeting the day as it comes, knowing that there are things I can do to help.

What are your challenges?
Educating people about the real needs in the county so that they will be inspired to help.

Others who have helped
Jennie Teeter is my classic enabler. I wouldn’t be able to serve without her.
Ed Leister, Sandy Oxx, the rest of my family nearby – Fred, Becky and Janice Teeter – all support anything I’m up to and I try to do the same for them.
Zoa Barnes, Dennis Mitzel, Steve Lambertson – I continue to learn from them and love volunteering with them.

What would you do with limitless time and money
I would buy property in downtown Westminster and revitalize it. There is a need for decent low-income housing.

How do you jump-start enthusiasm?
Seeing and thinking about success stories and individuals who are succeeding every day inspires me. When I see the Arts Center I’m rejuvenated.
When I watch Runnymede Elementary School, with the leadership of Susan Routson, raise thousands of dollars for Carroll Food Sunday, I’m enthusiastic. They have raised more than $140,000 over the last 16 years.

Bronwyn Emerson
Most noted for building a program for special needs students that transforms high school students’ potential.

Who have been your mentors?
The many teachers I have had. Those who made me feel mature and respected.

What have you accomplished?
Carroll County public schools made the decision to regionalize the high school BEST (Behavior Education Support Team) program and house it at Westminster High School. Having taught in the program for three years, and participated in the development of the BEST program, I was selected as the department chair for the new regional program.

What motivates you?
Being the department chair and a teacher in Regional BEST Services at Westminster High School is my greatest accomplishment.

What do you find challenging when it comes to engendering change?
One of the biggest challenges in educating students is poverty. A few years ago, when the economy went awry, many parents lost their jobs. As a result, families’ and children’s lives have changed, as has their ability to benefit from education. Lack of parental supervision after school and at night has led to lack of support in completing homework, lack of family time, involvement in drugs and crime. Failing grades and truancy result. Often, students cannot focus because they have not had breakfast and have no money for lunch.

Who has helped you as a change agent?
The amazing Regional BEST Services Team at Westminster High School, administrators of WHS, CCPS central office staff and the supportive parents and families of my students.

If you had limitless time, good health and a blank check, what three things you would do during Week One?
(1) Ensure that all of my students’ basic needs were met (food, clothing, medication); (2) Hire additional staff so that teachers could spend more time with families and not have to spend time working at home each night; (3) Put a tablet in the hands of every student in the program.

What would you do for the year?
Continue to develop site-based programs that prepare students for the world of work.

What is your 10-year goal?
To continue to grow and develop programs like Regional BEST Services in other counties in Maryland. My 10-year goal would be for all counties in Maryland to be able to provide educational placements within their public school systems that meet students’ needs and foster success.

How do you jump-start your enthusiasm for work and/or volunteerism?
My enthusiasm for working with students never wanes, no matter what other personal or professional challenges I’m facing. When I find a student struggling, I remind him of the famous Ralph Waldo Emerson advice: “Finish each day and be done with it, you have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

Steve Kerkam
Westminster Jaycees – Fireworks and Recycling projects; American Heart Association – Chairman and CPR Instructor; Tourism Council – President and supporter across the state; Special Olympics volunteer; Helped to establish CCASH, Inc.; The Shepherd’s Staff – REX and the Festival of Trees.

Who have been your mentors?
Don Rabush and Judy Makolin (Special Education); June Griffin at C&P Telephone (“The reward of a good job is more work.”); Dr. Randy Emmons at Washington & Lee University (“Be a teacher!”); Coulter Huyler (“Dutch Uncle”) – right advice at the right time.

What are your accomplishments?
Father’s Club Citizenship Award upon graduation from high school; volunteer tutor in the Lexington, Va., public schools; Westminster Jaycees – Bicentennial Fireworks and Recycling Project, The 7 P Principle; Special Olympics; American Heart Association – Chairman of the local Board, CPR Instructor/Trainer; Tourism – helped promote Tourism in Carroll County and across the state.

What motivates you?
I feel that we all are put on this earth for a reason and to make a difference. I like to work with people and see the changes that can result. Sometimes it is the little things that count, from a friendly word to a little help paying a bill. It is being at the right place at the right time that can make all the difference .

What are your challenges?
Generally, it is the people who try to block things by saying that it cannot be done. I have found that it is the people who do the least who often complain the most. Solutions may be difficult to see at first. With a good plan, things can happen.

Others Who Have Helped
Foremost is my wife, Beverly, who has always stood beside me, encouraged me, and given me the time and space to do what I have done. She also worked with me on some of the projects as well.

What would you do if you had limitless time, good health and a blank check?
Week One:
Establish a foundation (The Carroll County Teacher Relief Fund) that would help teachers and get CC teacher salaries back where they should be – not at the bottom of the list of counties.
Establish a business leaders’ tutoring and mentoring program for students in math and science.
Produce an easy-to read-pamphlet with seven simple recipes for the less fortunate to prepare to feed themselves more nourishing food.
Year 1:
Set up a small business loan/grant center to assist entrepreneurs with starting new businesses in the county.
Build a Fit Trail in all of the county’s major local municipalities and establish a community garden in connection with the Fit Trail.
Set up a speakers’ program to discuss recycling and composting.
10th Year:
Build affordable housing units to help the less fortunate have places of their own.
Establish a free summer camp for children.
Establish a free public transportation system.

Jason Stambaugh
Building business entrepreneurship in Carroll County and in local high schools through the Carroll Biz Challenge.

Who have been your mentors?
There are many people who deserve recognition for the role they’ve played in my professional journey. From elementary school on, there have been teachers, friends, colleagues, bosses, and the like who have made an extraordinary impact on my life. Most recently, there are three individuals that have been active participants in my professional success – Todd Burrier (Carroll County Young Life), Mike McMullin (Chamber of Commerce), and Hugh Norwood (Business Partner).

What are your accomplishments?
My greatest accomplishments are the work I’ve done in partnership with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. In 2012, I launched the Carroll Biz Challenge and in 2014 the CCPS Biz Challenge.

What motivates You?
Two things motivate me every day. First and foremost, my family. My wife, Karen, and my two kids, Isaac and Alice, are my world. I work for them.
Second, I work for myself. I believe that we’ve all been put on this earth to create. I give it my all.

What factors resist change?
Resistance is the most difficult to overcome, both internal and external. Internally, I face the resistance of self-doubt. Externally, resistance crops up in a variety of ways. With every new business, project, or effort there are forces at play that I cannot control.
My first child, Isaac, was born in August of 2011. My mother passed away in March of 2012 after a long battle with cancer and a dear friend of mine died in a tragic car accident in February of 2013. All the while these earth-shattering things were happening, I had to press on with my work.
Then there are the usual suspects, chief among them are relationships. Any time you are doing something new, you are faced with the reality of building and forging relationships with people who don’t know you or may have competing interests. Building trust, developing relationships, and building support networks are tremendously difficult.

Who have been your supporters?
Mike McMullin, Ben Yingling, Terry Smack, Todd Burrier, Steve Aquino, Jon Weetman, Mike Gibble, David Baker, Beth Tevis, Aaron Davis, Julia Jasken, to name a few.

What would you do if you had a Blank Check?
Think Elon Musk. He may have sold PayPal, but he is still dreaming and creating a la Tesla and SpaceX.
Week one? Nothing much would change. I would continue my journey of being the best husband, father, friend, entrepreneur and citizen I can be.

What Helps You when you are down?
We have the opportunity to write one story. Do I want mine to be about the guy who didn’t spend time with his kids? Do I want mine to be about the guy who failed, but couldn’t get back in the game? Do I want mine to be about the guy who valued himself over others? You get the idea. It’s my go-to motivational tool.

Marjorie Lohnes
Noted for continuing to evolve career and technology education from the old vo-tech paradigm to high-end, 21st-century programs.

Who have been your mentors?
I didn’t have a traditional mentor. My mentors have changed throughout my life. Earliest were my teachers.
My family members, Art Riley, Janet Colburn, Donna Riley and my parents, Ray and LaLai, are mentors to me, too. Brian Lockard gave me a professional chance; he saw potential when there were not many female directors for career and tech education.
Each of my directors – Gary Dunkelberger, Greg Eckles, Barry Gelsinger, Steve Johnson and Margaret Pfaff – have mentored me. And principals Don Reck
and Dick McPartland.
I have watched and learned from the best of the best teachers and members of the state department of education.

What have been your accomplishments?
I’m proud to be a voice for and to connect resources for some of our brightest students. I love connecting students to the kind of education they need so that they know learning is life-long.

What motivates you?
My husband, Fred. I am a self-starter with a passion for what I do and that is motivating. I don’t do stuff that I don’t believe in. I’m motivated when I see students feel bright and capable.

What are your challenges?
Change is hard and is it not always popular. I’m not a fan of making a change just to make a change; I believe in changes that make a positive difference. But change takes time, especially in education.

Others Who Have Helped:
The secretaries and all the other professionals here are so important.
Our partners at Carroll Community College – Karen Merkle, Jim Ball, Faye Pappalardo – have helped create a perfect pipeline for our students.
The Chamber of Commerce and Jason Stambaugh; our fine folks in economic development and our business partners. Bob Bullock has spent a lifetime helping us.

What if I had limitless time, money and good health?
I’m thankful for all that I have, but it would be great to have staff development and time to write, learn and practice new techniques.