When I began at LREI as a part-time science teacher in the mid-80s, I had no plan to be here as long as I have. In fact, I didn’t think I would be a teacher for more than a year or so. I figured I’d stay on as long as it took to decide what I really wanted to do with my life.

I did.

What kept me here? What keeps so many of us here? It’s the energy, the excitement, the optimism. From day one, I was impressed with the number and quality of questions asked by my students and my colleagues. (In fact, the first question that I was asked in my professional career, by a sixth grader in my class, led to the creation of our life skills program, Adolescent Issues, which I teach to this day.) Throughout their 14 years here, students are asked, “How can we use what we’ve learned to make a difference in the world?” “How can we support each other and work together to do this?” I continue to be inspired by our commitment to dialogue — and it’s not dialogue that starts here and ends here. Rather, it’s dialogue that starts here, then takes shape slowly, thoughtfully, with the hope that it will spark change in the world someday.