My flight to Seattle was my first, and boy, wasn't it an experience. My husband and some friends took me to the Atlanta Airport. Everything flowed very smoothly there. From luggage check-in to boarding the plane, everything was perfect. Take off was fine, but I got a little sick after the landing. I was fine after about twenty minutes. The take-off and landing from AZ were both okay. Upon arriving in Seattle, we went the the Key Arena to hear the keynote speaker, Mae Jemison. Dr. Jemison is a remarkable woman. She definitely has a heart to educate people of all ethnic groups and socieconomic backgrounds. She shared information on some of the projects that she has been involved in over the course of her career. They include: going into space, teaching at summer camps, teaching college courses, etc.
She said several profound things that have stood out to me. One of the statements that she made was a quote from Alice Walker, "It is the nature of the flower to bloom." She then related the flower to students. It is their nature to bloom unless they are deprived of the necessary elements needed to thrive. Dr. Jemison also reminded us that every second of our day was important. I believe we all must strive to use the best of our time so that our future is full of vibrant fields of colorful flowers, or we will be left with a desert of weeds and dead roots.
WOW! I like that second paragraph. I want to continue "blooming" and I bet your students will, too.
Posted by: Kelly Clark | July 03, 2003 at 04:23 AM