By Dr. Ferrell Miller
The JC Breakfast Optimist Club’s guest speaker on July 20 was Tim Testa. Tim is a Junction City High School graduate and teaches students Physical Education and is a coach of athletes in basketball, cross country and track at his alma mater.
Tim moved to Junction City at the age of nine and in the fourth grade. He attended Eisenhower and Lincoln Elementary Schools. While at Junction City Middle School he became active in competitive sports with other middle schools. He told the Optimists that “Our team looked different from those at other schools because of the diversity in our school. We had students from all over the world in our school and I loved it.” Some of the coaches Tim worked with and was inspired by were Curtis Gray, Tony Ingram, Matt Westerhaus, Jeff Frey and Jeff Coverdale and Bob Schmoekel.
Tim was the JCHS Class President for four years and graduated high school in 2006. He went from high school to Pittsburg State University and upon graduation told his wife “I want to go back to Junction City to teach.” He was hired at Junction City Middle School as a teacher of Physical Education and coached cross country, basketball, and track for five years.
Tim and his wife left Junction City for three years to be a coach at Southwest College in Winfield, Kansas, but realized he “felt the pull to go back to Junction City”. He again alluded to the diversity of the community.
Coach Testa believes that “our community needs organizations like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and it is the schools that bring people together.” He also shared that “the win/loss record is important to him, but even more so is having students be a part of the culture and this unique community.” Well beyond “the memories of a win/loss record will be the relationships established while in school.”
The guest speaker next week will be Donna Porter from the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library who will share information about the Community History Archives. The club’s Celebrations of Optimism are open to the public beginning at 6:50 AM at the Hampton Inn located at 1039 South Washington Street. First time attendees receive a free breakfast, which is served after 6:00 AM.