Day 24: Teaching Professions students get to experience Texas during FEA trip

Several Teaching Professions Academy Satellite students had the opportunity of a lifetime when they were able to travel to San Antonio, Texas, earlier this month to take part in the Future Educators' Association (FEA) National Conference.  The students from the Marysville TPA Satellite were accompanied by their instructor, Mrs. Judy Fletcher, who submitted this report about the trip:

The students, Amber Short, Allie Mazza, Halie House, Danika Morse, Brady Pickford, visited The Alamo and learned a bit about the history of Texas. We enjoyed the sight-seeing boat ride along the San Antonio River, which runs right through the downtown area.  There were many beautiful things to see on the River Walk. The San Fernando Cathedral was breath-taking!

Of course, the Future Educators Association National Conference was the Main Event and we got to the Opening General Session early enough to get third row seats! Grant Baldwin was the first featured speaker.  He was motivational and very funny.  He reminded us that we need to take action and make a difference in the world.
Dr. Marcus Nelson was the second featured speaker.  He is a young superintendent in the Texas school system, who believes that “hard work pays off” and inspired us (and made us laugh) with his life story.  Since he was determined in the 4th grade to become a "principal and a rap star," he proved that dreams can come true with hard work.  Not only was he a principal by the age of 28, but frequently raps with students to help them learn!
We also attended a variety of breakout sessions, where we learned about things like:  Strategies to Keep Groups Actively Engaged; Uplifting Projects; Approaches to Diversity in Classrooms; Tapping IntoYour Heart Song—bringing personality to the classroom; So You Want to Be a Teacher. Why; Getting to Know Your Students Better. 
Brady Pickford already applied something he learned and stated, “I have been teaching my intern teachers' Consumer Science class. I have been wanting some activities to do with them [the students]. The unit we are about to go into is about Self Confidence and Communication skills. Today, I did the 'knot game' that we played at nationals in one of the sessions.”
Many schools from around the country didn’t make it to the conference because of weather complications and flight cancellations.  While the students pretended for the camera to be sad because of a plane delay in Atlanta, in all honesty, the students represented Ohio Hi-Point, their home schools, and themselves very well with their positive attitudes and willingness to meet people and participate.  Though from different home schools, they bonded with each other and had a great time.  They met students from all over the country and enjoyed doing the familiar, “O . . H” cheer, hoping for that happy response of “I . . O."  They even went above and beyond to cheer up and help a distressed young mother and her baby at the airport after their flight was canceled.