W H O

Alise’s Journey - Maybe I have always asked the question “why?” certainly convinced there was an answer to my question somewhere propelling me to find solutions to problems of importance to me. It is when these questions intersected with the needs of others, I pushed myself to places I would have never gone on my own. This is how we are wired, we are wired for love. This love directs us, connects us, and inspires us. It brings us life! It is the algorithm for sustaining hope. So, I never looked to teach, but teaching called for me!

Kathy’s Journey- Perhaps I have always loved to learn; I’m not sure, but I do know that my desire to learn has deepened rather than dissipated. Being a teacher wasn’t my first choice because I don’t think it is a choice.  It is rather a natural byproduct of life.  We are, so we teach.  People watch, listen and learn; sometimes it is exactly what they need, sometimes it isn’t. Often the outcome is determined by the learner.  The learner may be in a classroom full of students or just a bystander in any random location; that is the really cool thing about teaching and learning; it happens daily.  Sometimes we hear or see something and it pricks our ears, imprints our minds or calls to our hearts.  In each case we grow simply because we have taken notice.  That is where my real academic career began, a teacher who helped me see the importance of taking notice, of being “ready” to learn.  The word “intentional” takes on new meaning when you realize you have a choice, that you’ve always had a choice, you just haven’t always been intentional in making it.  Next to love, choice may be the strongest force in our world.  Too often we get lulled into believing that there are “normal, boring days”.  What?! Everyday is an opportunity; everyday is a choice; everyday is a new beginning or a challenging ending; what we do with each day determines where we begin the day after; even those days we label as boring can give us cause to pursue the “less trodden” path to new adventure.  If life is what we make it, then I will work to make mine a thing to celebrate.