I work with amazing people. Teaching is a difficult job and during a pandemic, it’s more stressful than ever. Having colleagues that are caring and supportive will keep us from burning out. I wouldn’t have been able to stay at my district for 24 of the 30 years I’ve been teaching if I didn’t work with incredible and wonderful people. I learned yesterday afternoon that my colleagues nominated me for this year’s NCCE technology educator of the year. I found out I had been nominated when I saw that I had been selected at what I thought was a special screening of one of the NCCE Keynotes!
This past Monday’s school newsletter mentioned a special screening of one of NCCEs keynotes, the one on esports by Dr. Chris Haskell. I was so excited because I didn’t get to go to NCCE last year and I didn’t go this year. This was a chance to view one of the keynotes by someone from whom I’ve learned a lot. I’ve been to some of Dr. Haskell’s past NCCE workshops and I follow him on Twitter. I was surprised to see a bunch of teachers show up to watch a keynote that focused on esports. The live stream started and the announcers began with two awards. I was watching as Alfonso Gonzalez was mentioned as this year’s outstanding tech educator. I don’t think it sunk in until later on when I found out that we weren’t going to watch Dr. Haskell’s keynote! LOL
It dawned on me that the other teachers weren’t there for a keynote on esports, they were there for me! We had pizza and cake and fellow teacher and friend Ann mentioned that this was the first get-together we’ve had since last year! Another teacher made a video and staged a whole production to make the announcement extra special and including Star Trek clips in his video was just too cool! Thanks, Matt and thanks, Jason, my principal for helping to organize the event! And a thanks to our interim superintendent, Dr. David Engle, for providing excellent leadership during these difficult times as we welcome a new superintendent, Dr. Scott Mauk.
I am honored and humbled. I will not take for granted that I work with the best people anyone could possibly work with. We lift each other up and we have each other’s backs. And I still can’t believe that I was selected for this honor. Wow. Just wow.
Our local paper, The Port Townsend Leader, wrote an article about this award. 🙂
