As summer comes to a close it is hard not to be reminded of the beauty and vastness of our wonderful trip to Alaska and wish we were still there. Trudy, Jerry and Tyson Bendzak were the ultimate hosts and provided us with perfect weather, educational opportunities, and a renewal of friendships. NSTOY truly becomes a family of educators seeking new ways to share the expertise in this versatile group. Discussions were held as to how we could further our outreach and share educational knowledge with other teachers and those wishing to become teachers, as well as help set national policy for education and educators. We have all lived through policy that affects children in a negative way and each of us has the responsibility to try and change this and make a difference in each child's education. There is so much to be done, and I feel we have only touched the tip of what we could accomplish.
Another pressing need NSTOY has is the need for new TOYS to become active members and for former TOYS to continue their membership. Any group can only be as strong as its active membership, and each TOY can offer valuable insight as to the direction NSTOY can go to attain its goals. All TOYs must be of the mindset that they have something valuable to offer the organization, other teachers, and education as a whole. It should be an obligation for all TOYs to share what helped select them as a Teachers of the Year, because this distinct honor is bestowed on so few each year.
Think - why was I selected and how can I share this knowledge with others? As Jon Quam has said so many times, once selected you are always a Teacher of the Year. We can make a difference if we work together for a common goal. Let's make that our focus with meaning for the coming year as stated in the quote from John Gardner.
"Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your own talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning to you. If it does, then the particular balance of success or failure is of less account."
There will be an election for Secretary and for 1st Vice President at the '09 Conference in Maine.
Terms are for two years. According to the NSTOY Constitution, after serving two years the 1st Vice President will become President and serve in that capacity for two years. Following that term the President serves a two year term on the Board of Directors as Past President.
Please consider becoming a candidate for an office in NSTOY. For more information contact Art Peekel, Past President, at 847.934.6717 or a_peekel@yahoo.com
