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Turn your zeal into a mission
Educators in Wisconsin and throughout the country must take the zeal they have for education and turn it into a mission to promote and protect public schools and children.
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Lily Eskelsen |
And nobody is a better example of that at work than the person who brought that message to the Summer Conference Monday. Lily Eskelsen, a Utah teacher, NEA Executive Committee member, folk singer and inspirational speaker captivated and deeply touched conference participants with a moving presentation.
Eskelsen combined very serious messages about the important role of public schools in our society with humous and insightful anecdotes. And if that was not enough, she pulled out her guitar and put her thoughts to song with her beautifully smooth and melodic voice.
“There is great power in being good at what you do,” she said. “I love what I do and I’m good at what I do. And as good as I am, I can name 10 people off the top of my head who are better than I am. My pride comes in being one of them, and part of the most vital and important profession in the universe.”
Eskelsen, a former president of the Utah Education Association, encouraged educators to brag about themselves, their students and their accomplishments and to openly fight for the cause of strong public education.
Eskelsen, who teaches kindergarten through 3rd grade at the Salt Lake City Homeless Shelter, does it all the time.
“I never aplogize for fighting for my kids because they’re worth it,” she said.
For All the Kids
By Lily Eskelsen
These are the lyrics of a song performed by Lily Eskelsen at the end of Monday’s general session.
You can do it, Class I’m waiting
You can reach it, if you climb.
That was perfect, I’m so proud of you.
We’ve got so much to do
And so little time.
Oh, this isn’t just a job for us
We don’t just play a part
And our most important lessons are
All the ones we learn by heart.
And when our time is over
When our work is through
Few will know the lives we’ve touched
Fewer still will say, “Thank you.”
But when we’re asked if it was worth
Doing all we did
We’ll say we’d do it all again
All again, ‘cause they’re our kids.
Is anybody listening?
Does anybody hear?
Why is it so hard to understand
What should be crystal clear?
A school’s a bridge to the future
To a golden promised land
And it takes each of us to build that bridge
All of us working hand in hand.
And when our time is over
When our work is through
Few will know the lives we’ve touched
Fewer still will say, “Thank you.”
But when we’re asked if it was worth
Doing all we did
We’ll say we’d do it all again
All again, ‘cause they’re our kids.
All again for our kids.
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Veronica Ellingson of Hudson lines up a shot in the pool tournament Monday at the University Center as Karl Marquardt of D.C. Everest looks on. Marquardt took first place honors. |
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The Piper Road Spring Band performed during the dinner picnic at the tent Monday evening. |
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Today’s Bulletin Board Tuesday
Wednesday
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WEAC Office
Carlson Hall - Room 4041
414-472-1057 Daytime number
608-212-4188 Night and emergency number
Office staff
Gerene Nelson
Becky Adams
Karen West
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