Retired high school counselor still influencing youth today
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David G. Soderberg
David Soderberg
Age: 72
Community: Janesville
Occupation: Retired as Parker High School instructional manager and counselor in 1998 after 31 years.
Family: Wife of 35 years, Joan; two adult children, Garrett Soderberg of Augusta and Tina Aldrich of Janesville; two grandchildren.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in industrial education from UW-Stout in 1960, a master’s degree in guidance from UW-Stout in 1964 and post graduate work as a research assistant in the gifted and talented program at UW-Madison.
Hobbies: Furniture repair, hunting, snowmobiling and four-wheeling on the farm “up north” and near Stanley plus traveling with his wife, which has included three trips to China since his retirement.
Favorite music: Anything from the 1940s; his dad played in and directed a dance band during that era.
Biggest influence: His father, George Soderberg, who was a professor at UW-Stout, where he taught wood and metal finishing and wrote three books on the topic.
Current membership/volunteerism: Blackhawk Golden Kiwanis, Boy Scouts, Faith Lutheran Church, Elks Club, Moose Lodge.
Past volunteerism: He served on seven Parker High School committees, nearly a half-dozen state education associations, three Blackhawk Technical College advisory boards, the State of Wisconsin Parks Recreation Association and Janesville Leisure Services Advisory Committee.
Podcast Episode
Many Parker High School graduates have memories of guidance counselor David Soderberg, one of the Janesville Gazette's "People Who Matter". Soderberg is credited with working one-on-one with students, especially at-risk students, to turn their lives towards being successful. Kyle Geissler reports. The Janesville Gazette's "People Who Matter" series begins March 28th.
JANESVILLE — The troubled student and his parents met Janesville Parker High School guidance counselor David Soderberg at a local eatery to discuss the teen’s issues.
When Soderberg explained why the boy would be an excellent candidate for the Wisconsin National Guard Badger Challenge Academy for at-risk teens, the student told him off and left abruptly.
His reaction crushed Soderberg, who said he was only concerned for the student.
“I broke (emotionally) and felt hurt he was upset with me,’’ Soderberg said, holding back tears while recalling the incident.
The next morning, after a worry-filled and sleepless night, Soderberg found the young man waiting for him at school.
“He apologized, went to the academy, turned his life around and graduated,” Soderberg said.
Soderberg has helped a number of kids by sending them to the academy. He even convinced Janesville School Board members to approve applying credit for work—reading, math, history and physical education—completed at the academy toward school credits.
“I graduated a number of them, and it wasn’t a giveaway,’’ he said.
Soderberg earned a reputation for never giving up on a student. That’s because he didn’t.
“There’s goodness in everybody. Everybody is somebody,” he said.
That attitude is why he loved his profession and volunteering with youth.
“It was a challenge—every minute. But the Almighty had a direction. He put me as a counselor. I could have been an accountant. But that was my job,’’ he said.
Former student Tom Wolfe of Janesville still marvels at Soderberg’s talent for working one-on-one with students.
“He would just never give up on a kid and had that innate ability to make you feel like you were his only student,’’ Wolfe said.
Everything Soderberg did, Wolfe added, included positive encouragement and “a foundation for later in life.”
Another former student, Larry Grorud, agreed.
“Dave instilled in me to always be prepared because you don’t know where your next opportunity will be,’’ he said.
Soderberg encouraged Grorud to enroll in classes so he’d have a well-rounded academic background. That paid off for Janesville’s longest serving fire chief when Grorud scored at the top of his group when he applied and tested to become a firefighter.
“I credit Dave for scoring so well and my attitude of not being afraid to take advantage of opportunity,” Grorud said.
The Army code of “Be All You Can Be” and the Boy Scout pledge to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous and kind have shaped Soderberg.
“That’s how I lived my life,’’ he said.
He also used the philosophies to influence students and Scouts.
Barb Dougal, assistant principal at Parker High, agreed that Soderberg was dedicated to helping kids, especially those at risk.
“But he helped every kid and would always go the extra mile to do whatever it took to help that kid be successful and without ever complaining he was working too hard,’’ she said.
The great joy in Soderberg’s life is his family.
“We’re very close,’’ he said.
When Soderberg retired with no regrets in 1998, he sang these words: “If I had my life to live over, I’d do the same thing again.’’
At 72, Soderberg has dreams of what he’ll do in the years ahead.
“There are so many things I want to continue working with—kids, Scouts and the Kiwanis,’’ he said.
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