Teacher of the Year

Natalie and I with Bryce, the student who introduced me. He cried after his speech because he thought he messed it up. What a great kid.

So the teacher of the year stuff has come to a close and as many of you know, we did not take home the title. While I really wanted to win, the more I pray on it and the more I look back over the e-mails, notes and letters folks have sent me I am amazed at the journey God has taken me on. I am amazed at creative and clever God is and how He seems to give just what we need. I feel refreshed and recharged right now, ready to serve.



Beforehand in front of the car the winner gets for a year. The teacher in red next to me, Lisa, was the deserving winner.

Although I didn't get to read this, I wanted to share it with everyone because I have so many to thank for where my life is. This was the speech I had planned and it means more now as I read it afterwords.

God Bless,
Thomas

When we found out I was a finalist one of the teachers at my school told me, “you know, it is about time this school got one of these.” Those words stuck in me, because she was right. What amazing people I work with everyday. They push and inspire me and even more importantly, they push and inspire kids. I am in awe when I look back over my last 7 years and all of the people who have had a hand at raising me in my school family:

• Karen Jankwiak
• BangTam Rose/Miller
• Kim Thompson
• Joyce Stevenson
• Dot Ward
• Tammy Bishop
• Patrick Ernst
• Elizabeth Barnaba
• Erin Colvin
• Daniel Zubrowski

It feels like I’m listing off an All-Star roster of teachers. All of whom were part of raising me. I am in awe that I have the honor of representing them and the community of Havre de Grace. It truly is an honor I feel like we have earned together.

This work is hard. It wears you down everyday, at every turn. When these kids are in your heart, there are no breaks. You and your loved ones make sacrifices everyday, some big like deciding not to have anymore kids of your own and some small like my wife bringing a picnic to the school for dinner so you can still eat as a family.

There is always more that we could be doing to help another student, to give another student a chance who doesn’t know what they are capable of. You know it and I know it. The pay, benefits, 6 weeks off in the summer or random snow days will never equal the amount of yourself that you pour into helping students, but like my Pastor consistently reminds me, “God loves me and has a difficult plan for my life.”

It takes an amazing amount of strength to do this.

The truth is, for many years I didn’t have that strength. I sure did try, but I always ran out. There would be great days or even weeks, but the work would beat me. The reason I stand here before you today is because I no longer do this job alone. My family has made the decision and the sacrifice that we will serve together, through my classroom. I go to school every day knowing they are behind me and they help fill my heart with love, patience and passion.

I go knowing that my wife has the same mission that I do: to give each person a chance and to show how love and depending on each other makes us stronger. And I know that my daughters are never lonely or without love because of the way my parents have cared for them and for my family, when I can’t hold them in my arms I know that they are being held in theirs. The love God has built around me makes me better than I am. Everyone should feel that love – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Even more powerful, however, is that I go to school everyday to serve with a partner, a teammate: my God. When I don’t know how to help or what to say; He does. He gives me words, passion, energy and strength that are not mine. He keeps me humbled and focused on my kids. I keep this scripture from Matthew 18 close at hand and read it to myself throughout the day.

the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

Not only do I work at an amazing school, with an amazing staff, but I have the joy of serving God through serving these children – whom God loves and has written his love for them on my heart. I believe each one of us is meant to serve and I am proud to say that I am a teacher. I am proud to stand with you as fellow teachers and say that we made a choice to serve, to give to others, to work in a “we” career when the world tells us we should be working for “me.”

Thank you for this amazing honor and God Bless

I still believe this is an amazing honor...

'98 Throwback

Natalie Here! This weekend I traveled back to Fort Knox, KY for an impromptu mini FKHS reunion. The catalyst of this event: Britt returning for R&R from her FOURTH deployment overseas, this time Afghanistan. Jen Teters (JT in Fort Knox speak), flew in from DC, Jen Sims (Schildroth) drove in from Texas with her husband and two kids, I braved the skies with my two little ones, and Aimee (Carter) drove down from Michigan. Andrea Trim is on-site in Louisville and she caught some time to join us as well.

A few pictures to look back:



Some of the group before Senior Prom. From top left Chad Jussell, Tim Maynard, Keven Guasp, Thomas Dennison, Lashanda Moore, Kathy Hamilton, JT, Jen Schildroth, Me.

Hanging out at the Lloyds. Oh the bad bad hair cut.

JT, me, Keven, Jen. I assume this is a birthday party for me, or I just felt like a princess that day. Once again with the boy hair cut... And I think Schildroth is asleep on the piano bench? Pretty rockin' party.

Me and JT before Sophomore Homecoming dance. Why are we so shiny???

Me and Schildroth in San Diego spring break freshman year in college. How does that feel so long ago?

Schildroth, Aimee, little brother Alex (who is a freshman at UK now!), Donnie, my mom, me, and Brit at the bowling alley. It was for Donnie's birthday so hopefully Aimee was laying off the GIs that night, but who knows :)

(Still looking for a good pic with Andy--most of my pictures are hidden in my attic in MD, these were borrowed from my parent's photo albums).

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And look at us now!

Me, Andrea, Jen Sims, Aimee, Brit, JT.

The two mommies Jen and nat.

Britt (now in uber soldier shape) and nat.

It was so great to catch up with these amazing women. And, for me, the best part was that we really weren't just reliving memories of the past. Yes, we had some great laughs a la Aimee's inexplicable high school crushes and coming clean about a few indiscretions to Ma Lloyd, but for the most part, we just shared who we are now. And I am really proud to count these women among my close friends.

Britt--now a Captain in the Army, she just returned for a short break from leading a Military Police Company in Afghanistan (hope I am getting the facts straight here). She is a lean, mean fighting machine, challenging the perception of women in the armed forces and in combat situations. She is well-respected by her soldiers and I see great things happening for her in her military career. HUA Brit! She and hubs Devon are PCSing to Hawaii this summer and will hopefully get a break from deployments for a few years.

JT--now a lobbyist for the American Dietetic Association in DC. She has been heavily involved in the Healthcare debates and gave us the scoop on all the personalities on the Hill. She works 14 hr days and is passionate about her career and is somehow fitting in a Masters in Public Admin--but don't let the black suit and pearls fool you, DC; she is still our quirky and lovable JT (the girl has a lime-green bedroom, some things just don't change!)

Jen S.--now a law clerk for a federal judge in Texas. She attended law school at prestigious Baylor Law while raising her daughter Madison mostly by herself (Terry was deployed to Iraq during most of it), she graduated in the top 1/3 of her class and made law review. If that weren't enough, she then passed the bar while 7 months pregnant with her son Corbin. Now she is working her buns off, learning the ropes of federal litigation and somehow juggling 12 hour days while mothering 2 young children. Thankfully her hubs Terry is a big help--he does his best to take care of the kids while still attending school full-time, currently working on a degree in Engineering. Their kids are adorable and obviously well-loved-- a feat in and of itself!

Andrea--now working for Continental airlines and living with her hubby Brad up in Louisville. Andy became an overnight mom when she married Brad and became step-mom to his 13 year old son Johnathan. In addition to caring for him every other weekend, she also plays mom to her youngest sister Rachel (now 15!) and helps out with her niece and nephew, as well as playing mom to various friends and lost souls. She has such a big heart!

Aimee--has found her calling as a Social Worker in Michigan. She has moved up the ranks quickly and is already working as an analyst on a strategic level, ensuring the field officers in her district are in compliance with regulations. She is still as crazy and hilarious as ever and had all of us in stitches recalling some of our teenage drama and youthful indiscretions.

None of us have it all together--we are all trying to find that balance between career and personal life, we all work too much and sleep is a luxury we rarely can afford. But I think as a whole, we have done pretty well for ourselves. We never could have predicted the lives we have all found our selves in, but I think we should all be proud of how far we have come.