Sunny California - Part 1

Great view from the window seat!

Talk about WOW! This trip to Palo Alto has been nothing short of amazing. Now, the flights were not necessarily enjoyable, but I've had worse and I was able to almost finish two books! Pretty crazy. I do have an obsession with classic movies so it should be no surprise that I am frantically reading Pride and Prejudice and can't wait to get home to watch the movie again, the original of course. The remake is good too, but you can't beat the 1940's film with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. Oh, Mr. Darcy...

So San Francisco, San Jose, Mountain View, and Palo Alto all made for a wonderful, beautiful trip.  I have never been in the presence of such amazing people in education, or just in general. Laura, Steve, and Mike are such an honor to be around. Their passion and drive are inspiring and I learn something new every time I see them. Getting the chance to read and share our first drafts of our Fishman Prize essays was nerve racking, but incredibly helpful. I have definitely struggled throughout this process and am getting a BIG reminder of what my students go through each day. I can't wait to see these published because there is something for everyone in each of these essays.

Meeting all the multi-millionaires and influential people in education on our trip was pretty fantastic too! One of the highlights for me was meeting Ann Bowers who is Chair of the Board and the co-founding trustee of the Noyce Foundation, which is focused on  improving math and science instruction and learning in public schools. Having lunch and getting to chat with such a strong, influential woman who embraces math and science and understands the need to make these subjects more accessible to woman was inspiring. Her stories were funny and ideas are brilliant. I hope to hear more from her, maybe if she's in the Tampa area we could show her first hand what the LHS Longhorns are capable of!

Our second stop was to the Emerson Collective where we were able to spend time with Russlynn Ali and had a surprise visit from Laurene Powell Jobs.  These are two of the most beautiful women I have ever met and demand attention when they enter a room even saying a word. From talking with both of them it is clear they want every student to not only have access to education, but equal access to amazing teachers. To be asked questions and be able to share our thoughts and feel valued is an indescribable feeling and I hope that I offer that experience to my students every day! We also enjoyed the art instillation in their offices that takes a photo booth type picture and prints it out poster size! There should always be time for a little fun. :)

Sunny California Part II coming soon... I don't wait to miss my flight home. CA has been fun, but there is no place like home.