Recently, I had the honor of attending the 12th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards. As I eagerly waited to see who would be named the 2019 Louisiana Teacher of the Year, I reflected on the night I was named Teacher of the Year three years ago. While I received incredible prizes like a one-year lease for a Mercedes Benz and Community Coffee for a year for my school, the greatest prize I received was “yet” to come. There is a wonderful TED talk by Tanya Menon on “The Secret to Great Opportunities? The Person You Haven’t Met Yet.” Her presentation is a great example of why being named State Teacher of the Year is life-altering thanks to the people you meet. They inspire you, teach you, challenge you, and support you as you grow in your new endeavors. As Spencer Kiper’s name was announced as the 2019 Louisiana Teacher of the Year, I knew that he had no idea of the people he was “yet” to meet and how they would forever impact his life.
Now that the teaching award celebrations are over for another year, my attention has turned to the new school year. I can’t help but wonder about the people I’ve “yet” to meet. From new faculty members, students, parents, grandparents, to volunteers, I know there are a lot of new faces that will be coming into my life. While I am preparing my classroom and curriculum for the year ahead, the question I keep wondering is, “How will the people I’ve yet to meet help me grow this year?” While I don’t know the answer to that question just yet, I can’t wait to get started on finding the answer. To all my education friends, here’s to a great school year and the people we’ve yet to meet!
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