Our family recently enjoyed a "Cory" weekend. On Friday, May 6, I had the privilege of giving the keynote address at the Second Annual St. Cloud High School Hall of Fame Banquet, attended by some 200 Bulldog enthusiasts. My son Cory is a biology teacher and coach at the school, so I have more than a passing interest in addressing the banquet.

The focus of my speech was "Legacy," which is what Halls of Fame are all about. While we remember the past and the many folks who made the program what it is today, we also look to the future. The school honored two multi-sport athletes, Doug Partin and Johnny Crowe, both of whom went on to shine as college stars at the University of Florida and Florida State University, respectively. Both would also qualify for a Hall of Fame for Businessmen, if one existed.

The school also honored a non-athlete, Lucy King, a mother who was also a surrogate mother to hundreds of others for her many contributions to the program over the years. I thought that was a particularly nice gesture to honor others who have made their mark on Bulldog athletics over the years.

It's a real thrill to hear all the war stories that have, no doubt, grown over the years with age. Johnny Crowe's college roommate was the NFL standout Ron Sellers, a two time All-American and college Hall of Famer himself, was there to honor his old buddy along with most of the men who played with Crowe at St. Cloud. It was nice to see the gang together again.

I'm a relatively new Floridian, having resided in St. Cloud since 1989 but it was nice to see "old St. Cloud" so well represented at this banquet and to sit next to my son Cory and his wife Casey (both teachers), who represent the future of St. Cloud athletics and education.

Less than 24 hours later, it was off to the University of Central Florida Arena for another event with Cory and his family. He recently earned his Master's Degree in Physiology from the University of Central Florida, which has the second highest enrollment of all colleges and universities in America today. Cory was one of only four graduates to earn the highly specialized degree, which is part of the Masters of Arts program in the College of Education.

Our family was there to witness his walk across the stage, including my beautiful granddaughters, Ava (2) and Ashley (4). They were more interested in doing laps around the halls of the UCF Arena than watching thousands of people walk across a stage, so most of my time was spent getting my exercise in chasing them around the facility.

UCF offers 91 bachelor's degrees, 92 master's degrees, 3 specialist degrees and 29 doctoral degrees in addition to 94 graduate certificate programs. A relatively young school, it was founded in 1963 but has grown to the second largest enrollment in the US today. Largely a commuter college, the institution was originally founded with a goal to provide the geeks to run the space program on the east coast. The original vision was to make the school the MIT of the south, but it has become much more than that today.

Some 170,000 alumni, like my sons, have been awarded nearly a quarter million degrees during its brief history. About 71% of the UCF alumni reside in central Florida while 57% are in the greater Orlando area.

The institution's focus today has changed with tremendous diversity. Today's programs range from a focus on the service industry that provides valuable employees for Disney, Universal and all the other central Florida attractions to training of engineers build the cars for NASCAR. Yes, the school still provides geeks for the space coast, but as those programs are refocusing, so is UCF's mission.

It was nice to have a "Cory" weekend that I will remember so fondly for years to come. Be there for your children and grandchildren. Remember the past by honoring those who helped pave the way for the greatness you enjoy in your life. In honoring them, you honor yourself.