Perspectives: Sam’s Perspective – Excellence

I’d like to talk with you about a word and what’s behind it. The word is excellence. You hear it applied in a great many situations, some deserve but many more don’t. The question today is how does one achieve excellence? And who decides what are excellent works. In this day of throw away words and phrases most of us have no problem defining the word and to whom it should apply. There are so many examples out there, some we know about but a great many more, get no attention what-so-ever. Take for example the single mother, working two jobs to support her little family and at the same time, manages to earn a college degree. Wouldn’t you call her achievements excellent. How about the guy fighting a fatal disease who spends his remaining time trying to help others? And don’t forget the thousands of others in a thankless job who get up and go to work every day, to help grease the wheels of this country of ours.
You see, excellence is all around us, and we really should be paying more attention. I hope you heard about one local individual recently recognized for excellence, in education. The governor was on hand to announce that Lindsay Brooke Lee had been named to receive the
Milken Educator Award, which carries with it $25,000. The announcement was a complete surprise for the 8th. grade English/Language Arts teacher at Will Rogers Jr. High School in Claremore. 40-of the awards were presented across the United States but Lee was the only teacher from Oklahoma that was chosen. The reasons for her being picked are many but I want
to give you two of them. First, she works very hard to keep parents involved. Second, she is known to go to great lengths to help children in difficult situations. You know, the bar is set very high by the thousands of teachers in Oklahoma and they take a great deal pride in their profession, while receiving little if any recognition for their work.
So, when one from their ranks is presented with, what some call the Oscar of Teaching, I grantee you they all stand a little taller knowing someone out there took notice. Much more should be done to support education, but this is Oklahoma and the only way education here will ever see real support, is at the ballot box.
We are making every effort to bring Lindsay Broke Lee in for an interview so you will know her better. When that happens, maybe just maybe you’ll also understand what teachers in Oklahoma really need from her citizens.
And that’s my perspective.