Update from Daphne...

Hi Everyone, and happy 2010! I hope this note finds you all happy and healthy. I'm still in Indiana...finishing up my PhD in Educational Psychology with a primary focus in gifted education and a related focus in engineering education. I passed my proposal defense before heading home to NC for the holidays, so now it's time to collect data, analyze, write, and attempt to graduate by the summer! My dissertation research is on the creation of a quantitative instrument to assess upper elementary and middle school students' knowledge of, interest in, and efficacy towards engineering. Since coming to Purdue and working for the Institute for P-12 Engineering Research and Learning, I have become passionate about the importance of STEM education and want to continue working to help teachers integrate engineering into their curriculum. I've started applying for faculty positions... (a bit scary!)... none were available at good ol' FSU. However, I have applied for a couple positions back in the south. I would like to be closer to home... and in warmer weather! These Indiana winters are brutal! It's still just Grace (my Siamese cat) and me, so we are pretty much free to go anywhere the job market takes us! Overall, it's been a wonderful year, filled with the blessings of good health, sweet friends, and fascinating opportunities... I can't wait to see what 2010 has in store! Love and hugs to all of you!

Lakisha's Update

Hi Gang!!

Well, it's been a busy year!! I'm just now sitting down to write this blog because I forced myself to make time to do something personal instead of work which I'll get to as soon as I'm done here. I recently (6 mths. ago) joined Boys Town South Florida as a Family Consultant. Let me tell you it is very demanding. I can thank Dr. Clark and FSU for preparing me to accept challenges head on. Thank you Dr. Clark!! I work with youth and their families that are considered at-risk. Currently this program serves only K-1st grade in all 48 elementary schools in Palm Beach County. We go into their homes on a weekly basis teaching skills to help them overcome struggles (i.e. behavioral/social). I also maintain an office at Washington Elementary in Riviera Beach, FL. At school I provide intervention/prevention services to these identified at-risk youth. I sit in on all school-based team meetings as well as SAC meetings. It is stressful because of the amount of time, paperwork, case notes etc. we are required to maintain. It makes it worthwhile to see a child smile because they were able to participate in Fun Friday or have recess because there behavior changed for the best. I still teach abstinence for my church and when I'm called upon by other groups who want to hear the truth. I love that and would like to continue in that vein....Well, I'm still single for now and raising my younger brother (21 yrs. old) who is girl crazzzy! That's it for now, hope to have something special to share with you in the near future as God permits! I wish you all well, much prosperity physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. Love, Lakisha

Nicole Haskins Prater

This is so exciting. Like all of you, I too was upset to see our beloved newsletter possibly ending, so I am really pleased that Ingrid stepped up to the plate and got us going here. Something tells me that we'll update this more often and keep in better touch than we ever have!

My husband, Adam, and I are still living in Virginia Beach, VA and enjoying ourselves. We don't have any children yet but we hope to have a family someday soon. (I'll keep you posted should anything happen!) I teach 5th grade this year and he is enjoying teaching middle school science. Since we both teach, it's a great schedule to be able to be at home at the same time and get to do the many activities we enjoy together. We have two sweet yellow labs, Cooper and Baxter, and a big back yard for them to run around and play. I have included our Christmas Card from this year to show you how big they are!

It's hard to believe, but I've been teaching for 10 years now (and boy am I starting to feel my age.) I still enjoy the classroom, but it seems like it's getting tougher each year--when it should be getting easier. The tasks piled upon us that weren't there before because someone thought it would be a great "new program" to have, is really starting to wear on me. My theory is that if I can come home most days with a smile after being with 27 students each day, then it's still worth being in the classroom. (I know what you're thinking....I almost died when they told me that is how big my class was going to be this year! Plus I have a switch class, so I see 53 kids each day.)

Anyway, I can't wait to keep checking our new blog and seeing what all of you have been up to. Keep in touch! NICOLE

It's My Turn - Christine Klein Russell

I would like to agree with Amy and say thank you to Ingrid for setting this up. I enjoyed reading the newsletter each year, and I am glad to be able to keep up with all of you in another format. About me, we are now living in Tallahassee. My husband took a job working for Leon county and it brought us back here. It's a nice small town, good for families. Speaking of, let me tell you about my three angels. Molly is 3 1/2 and is a ball of energy. She loves to sing, dance, talk, and play. She asks lots of questions (her favorite is why?). She just started preschool and loves it. Katie and Benjamin are 14 months old and all over the place. They are just starting to walk and will be taking off on their own soon. They also love to talk and babble and most of the time, I understand what they are telling me. I worked for 9 years in elementary school, mostly in 5th grade until I went on maternity leave with my twins. I just started a temporary position for a teacher on leave in Leon county schools. I can't wait to hear from all of you. Hoping you are all well and happy.

I'll go next! Amy Hill Ward

Hi everyone! Big thanks to Ingrid for getting this started and up and running. I hope everyone will join in and update! Well...where to start?!?! I am still living in Florida (Clearwater to be exact) although that could change because we are just starting to think about moving....same area, just bigger house! Our family has grown...and we have 2 little boys in 1 room, and the sleeping issues are driving us all crazy! About those 2 little boys, Max is almost 3 1/2 and loves people, eating, and any social activity we can get him into! He talks all the time (seriously...ALL THE TIME!) and comes up with funny things to say. We were blessed with a little brother for him last March (almost a year old now). OK FSU fans....my second sons name is Charlie...and our last name is Ward, so yes, we have Charlie Ward in the house! I could only hope for him to grow up to be a Heisman trophy winning quarterback at FSU! After we found out we were having another boy, my husband Greg, and I could not agree on any names. Charles was the only thing we both said we would consider, thus Charlie Ward he became. So far, I haven't seen any football genius in him yet, only time will tell. Greg still works for Verizon, he's in the administrative part of FiOs....and no we don't even have it yet! For those of you just checking in for the 1st time, I taught 2nd and 3rd grades for 7 years before Max was born, but then I quit teaching to be a stay at home mom. I work a very, very part time job at my church as the Director of Children's Ministry and I plan and coordinate Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and all other kid related activities at the church. The job allows me to be at home with my boys, use my teaching skills and make a little money! As I mentioned before, we are just in the beginning phases of looking for a bigger house, so that is taking the majority of our time right now. I will let you all know if we are successful (in this market who knows how long it will take, right? We have to sell our house first :-( If anyone wants a little 2 bedroom starter house in Clearwater...let me know!

Ingrid McDonald Wilson

OK, since I started this "assignment," I'll go first!  So, I am a "stay-at-home" mom, with 4 really busy kids. My oldest is David (8), followed by Mylie (6), then Jack (3), and Grant (~2).  Yes, we have our hands full, and yes, we are done...I hope.  To recap for those of you who might just be joining in, I did teach after graduation, but only for 3ish years.  Out of college, I got a job as a first grade teacher in an inner city school, and by day 3 I told my dad that he was going to have to get out the checkbook, because I could not do this thing and was going to have to go back to school.  Thankfully, he told me no, and I stuck it out.  Not only was it completely challenging as I figured out the whole teacher thing, but also a difficult dose of real world reality.  Those kids dealt with more in their short lives that I ever could have imagined outside of the movies.  It was difficult, but very rewarding and humbling, too.  During that first year, I was also planning a wedding and building a house, so I was totally insane.  The second year was much easier, and I was then only planning for a babe in addition!  Once my first bundle of joy arrived, I couldn't bring myself to leave him and go back to work, so I stayed home with him for 15 months and reveled in motherhood.  When I did return to teaching, I wanted to take David with me, so I took a Pre-K teaching position in a daycare setting and enjoyed having him just a few steps away.  I did that for about a year, but then gave birth to bundle of joy #2, and that was the end of my (paying) teaching career.  Mylie is our special little sweetie, as she has Down syndrome. She has prompted me to adopt many more titles outside of mom and teacher, like advocate, Physical therapist, Occupational therapist, Speech therapist, ENT, Ophthalmologist, etc.   Of course, I didn't have any formal schooling for these titles, but more of an immersive type of training.  Mylie is a story in and of herself, but I will get on with the rest of my "brief" summary (HA!).  So, after Mylie, came Jack and 18 months later, Grant.  Our brood is complete, and I am completely crazy.  I now have 2 kids in school full time, one in preschool, and one home full-time.  Just to push myself even further, I have just taken on another "volunteer" position as the director of the Sunday school preschool program at our church.  I am loving it.  I am revamping 4 classrooms, playing with fun curriculum, and clearing away the mommy-brain cobwebs.  I have total freedom to work mostly from home, bring my kids with me to "work," and proceed at my own pace.  We're toying with the idea of starting a "real" preschool, but then I will demand a paycheck!  So, you can imagine that I don't have a whole lot of down time, but occasionally I will make steal some sleeping hours to scrapbook pics of the kids or blog about them as my form of creative therapy.  You can see our old blog here and our newer, though rarely updated, website here... just in case you'd like to get a more in depth look into my "life."  :) I can't wait to hear from you guys and I'm hoping all is wonderful for all of you!