Springer honored two alumni with its Outstanding Achiever Award at the Annual Dinner and Meeting on May 16th, 2006.  Unfortunately this year, both Achievers were unable to attend the dinner due to their busy schedules, but their families were present and honored to accept the awards on their behalf. 

(from L to R): Lon & Leslee Deckard, Chris & Gary Wright

JOSHUA DECKARD '93 attended Springer as an Intermediate student for 3 years. After leaving Springer, he enrolled in Indian Hill Middle School, Moeller High School and then University of Kentucky.  Josh had a summer internship for two years in Hamilton County Prosecutors office.  During his second year of internship, a member of Mike Allen’s staff recruited him to drive people for the 2000 Bush/Cheney campaign.  This led to an assignment as a field team coordinator, which meant that Josh made sure everyone’s luggage and computers landed where they were supposed to.  All the while Josh was making connections and making impressions on those around him.  After the campaign, although offered other opportunities, Josh decided to return to University of Kentucky.  In the summer of 2001, Josh was offered an internship serving in Chief of Staff’s office and Office of the Vice President.  As the summer drew on, Josh came to realize that an opportunity like this was truly once in a lifetime and the college degree could wait.  In January of 2002, he was hired as a staff assistant in the Press Office, where he handled operations and logistics for White House events and the traveling press pool.  Currently, Josh is responsible for planning and executing press conferences at the White House, Camp David, and over 35 different countries while dealing with international media as well.  He manages the day-to-day operations of the White House Press Office including, but not limited to, the facilitation of The President’s press schedule, press releases, statements, background information for national press, as well as managing press office staff assistants.  When we caught up with Josh by phone, he asked that we share this message:  "Thank you for the unconditional love and support of my parents - who were there for me 110%, and the Springer teachers and administrative staff who taught me how to process and retrieve information - strategies and skills I use and apply today."  On his role as Assistant Press Secretary, Josh said “It’s incredible and humbling to serve something greater than yourself.”

MIKE WRIGHT '96 graduated from Springer and went on to attend Purcell Marion High School, followed by Ashland University for his freshman year of college.  Mike's true passion was football, so he transferred to the University of Cincinnati during his 2nd semester in order to play for a division 1 school.  Mike joined the team as a walk-on, but unfortunately, a torn ACL caused him to miss the season.  There were other injuries along the way so that by Senior year, even though he was having a terrific season, he wasn’t on the scouts radar screens.  However, Mike had a friend who was being recruited, and introduced him to an agent who saw in Mike NFL potential.  He ended up joining the New England Patriots as a free agent.  Once he was signed to the team, Mike found that there were still many challenges to face.  His coaches gave him a binder full of plays which he found daunting due to his learning disabilities.  Rather than give up, he pulled out his Springer strategies - using index cards to study football plays and watching the films repeatedly relying on the visual clues to reinforce the plays described in the binder.  His coaches noticed the extra time he was putting in, and once he explained his learning disability, they helped and worked with him to ensure he was successful.  Mike says of his football career, “You give it your all everyday, if it’s not good enough at the end of the day, then that’s all right. But I am not going to be sent out knowing that I didn’t give it my all.”  We were lucky enough to catch up with Mike this spring, during the short time off he had before training camp started.  What a glorious day - Mike and his mom, Chris spent several hours - touring, being interviewed, and playing football with Springer students who immediately fell in love with Mike - a gentle, friendly guy with an easy smile who just happens to be 6-4 and weigh 295 pounds!  Mike feels fortunate to be living his dream. Football is his job, a job he loves and hopes to do for quite sometime, but Mike speaks with wisdom beyond his years.  He knows that a football career is a week by week proposition, and that in order to keep doing what he loves, he has to be focused and dedicated to his practices and to learning the plays, and even with that there are no guarantees. He talked about how he is saving for a career in real estate post NFL football - Mike is a man with a plan.