Public invited to hear motivational speaker at Clayton Ridge Sept. 2

By Bruce Thein

Motivational speaker Al Kerns will be the guest speaker on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Clayton Ridge High School, presenting a half-hour presentation to students on “Doing What’s Right.” The program will begin at 9 a.m. in the high school gymnasium and is free; the public is encouraged to attend. Afterwards, Kerns will give another presentation to the faculty for their in-service day at the school. 

Kerns is a retired teacher and coach from Aplington-Parkersburg High School and was an assistant coach under legendary A-P football coach Ed Thomas for over 30 years. During their 30 years coaching together, Coach Kerns and Thomas shared an uncanny ability to motivate young people to help them reach their maximum potential and achieve things that they previously thought were impossible. They won two state titles together in football, and Kerns won the 2001 state title in girls track as well as finishing runner-up in the state four times.

Since Thomas's untimely death, Kerns has helped the Ed Thomas Family Foundation goal of keeping the legacy of Ed Thomas alive. He currently helps implement the Character Development and Leadership curriculum to schools in the Midwest. The curriculum provides an opportunity for high school students to strengthen their positive character and leadership skills through the Ed Thomas Leadership Academy.