The Oshkosh West Index - Streeter, Grine orchestrate visions of post-secondary plans

Volume 103, Issue 8

Online Features

Streeter, Grine orchestrate visions of post-secondary plans

By Robin Karlin
posted 11:25:58 AM CST, May 24, 2007

After a full three decades as a guidance counselor at Oshkosh West, Cecil Streeter is turning away from the familiar path and heading down a new career avenue.

“Many people are becoming aware that I intend to run for the 53rd Assembly District and spend a decade or so in Madison,” he said. “That is another culture that I want to experience on a daily basis.”

Streeter’s 30 years have offered him the opportunity to familiarize himself with a diverse student population.

“Most of all I think I will miss the school culture,” he said. “I have said more than once that there has never been a day in 30 years that I did not want to come to West.”

Since the switch in the fall of 2003 to assigning one guidance counselor to each class, Streeter has been able to truly get to know the students in his class.

“Knowing firsthand the trials and tribulations that some students endure to get grown up and educated is often a privilege counselors get that others do not,” he said.

As the high school journey of the class of 2007 draws to a close, Streeter is looking forward to individually recognizing each student at graduation.

“Every commencement is my favorite moment,” he said. “Watching the class of 2007 cross the stage and calling their names one by one will probably be my best all-time moment at West. I am definitely looking forward to June 7.”

After over 25 years and thousands of students, orchestra teacher Geri Grine’s career is coming to a melodious close.

“I’ve worked in Oshkosh since 1982,” she said. “During that time, I’ve taught at South Park, Oakwood, Jefferson, Smith, and finally North and West.”

In addition to being an orchestra teacher, Grine has also led a district music program for several years.

“I taught after-school strings off and on for a while,” she said.

During her career, Grine has enjoyed the opportunity to work with students every day.

“I’m really going to miss the daily contact with the kids,” she said. “I’ll still be working with the Oshkosh Youth Symphony Orchestra [OYSO], but it won’t be on a daily basis anymore. I’m really going to miss that.”

Despite the title of “retired,” Grine is by no means bowing off the musical stage.

“I’ll still conduct OYSO, and next year I want to start the middle school youth symphony,” said Grine. “And sometime, I’m also thinking about still another level for the younger kids.”

Grine’s ambitions also include a musical outreach in downtown Oshkosh for students that want music lessons.

“Sometime down the road I want to start up a conservatory or a settlement school in downtown Oshkosh with private studios for whoever wants to take lessons,” she said. “I’m especially interested in providing lessons for disadvantaged students.”

Grine believes that it is important that people be exposed to the culture early on.

“I think the arts need to be developed for the younger people,” she said. “They need to be exposed, especially since they’re going to be our future.”

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