When it comes to shaping students, Dale Sommerfeld is a circle — he echoes encouragement of responsible decision making and accountability when he volunteers time to work with young people.

He volunteers with the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce and various other organizations as a tutor and mentor for children and teens. Sommerfeld helps youngsters learn everything from mathematics to life lessons.

“Last summer, a senior boy couldn’t pass his math (graduation) exam,” he began the story of the student he tutored with a small smile and pensive expression. “Now he’s at Faulkner State (Community College) and, to me, that was a personal accomplishment.”

His words carried though an empty cafeteria where he awaited approximately 500 rising freshmen — 500 hungry, rising freshmen. He would soon give of his time to serve lunch during freshman orientation at Foley High School.

While Sommerfeld tutors students all the way from second- to 12th-grades, he also aids in programs such as South Baldwin Chamber Foundation’s Choices.

Choices teaches eighth-grade students how to make good decisions, he said.

“It’s a cram course in making the right choices and teaches about things that you can control and things that you can’t control,” he explained. “You have to do things by and for yourself.”

“I’m a big bug on personal responsibility.”

He laughed as he divulged a favorite phrase.

“One thing I say is ‘you’re not going to remember everything you’ve heard here today from some gray-haired guy, but remember there are choices — think!”

The father of two said he chooses to spend time volunteering with children because he enjoys seeing students light up with knowledge.

“I like watching them, to see their responses and their reactions,” he explained with wide eyes and added brightness. “Being an old geezer, you’ve gone through a lot of this; you have to subtly convince them that you’re someone worth listening to.”

“Bringing my expertise, I see their responses and watch them get interested.”

Sommerfeld possesses the drive to work with youngsters as he revels in educating them, but he also feels he has something worth passing on.

The retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel said his work in the space and defense programs taught him to pay attention — a lesson he values and wants to hand down  to students.

“If you don’t pay attention, you’re going to miss the opportunities,” he said.

The military also taught him “discipline and responsibility.”

Sommerfeld uses the story of his own education and his children’s school experiences to teach students the benefits of hard work.

He tells children of his four engineering degrees, for starters. He explains that he studied hard in high school and only made one “B”, then nearly flunked out of college.

He also tells children how his daughter was denied a promotion at work — so she quit her job, filled the whole in her resume and came back to a vice-president position in the company.

He said children can learn the value of perseverance through others’ experiences.

Terry Burkle, vice president of the South Baldwin Chamber Foundation, said she appreciates Sommerfeld’s experiences and his willingness to guide children toward a brighter future.

“He is a great role model for our students,” she said. “We have a number of students who don’t have a positive role model in their lives.”

“We welcomed him with open arms to put him in front of kids who need that positive influence…”

“As a nonprofit, we rely so heavily on our volunteers,” she said with humility. “We couldn’t do all the things we do. Dale is one of those … if we had a volunteer award, he’d be at the list. He just does whatever he can; we wish we could clone him.”