ACTEAZ News  Exec. Director’s Letter

Executive Director’s Letter – Fall 2018
Submitted by Pam Ferguson

Dear ACTEAZ Super Heroes!!!

Wow what an awesome ACTE Summer Conference and what an absolute joy to see all our Teachers, Administrators, Counselors, Arizona Department of Education and CTE School Staff in attendance. You are the Super Heroes who are “Forging Students into Everyday Heroes!” You collectively will make the difference for a lifetime for our CTE Students.

Thanks to you Super Heroes who were presenters and shared your special magic with all of us! The onsite reviews have been awesome, and we loved seeing all of you enjoy the Super Hero Backdrops for pictures and comradery.

How could we forget our President, Stephen Weltsch, version of Spider Man!! The audience roared as he shared his costume for his remarks that had the audience tuned in to his every word. These remarks were thought provoking and encouraged us all to be that Super Hero students as well as our colleagues need.

Our Keynote Speaker, Kayleen McCabe was a Super Hero also and leaped to the tallest buildings to share her great CTE philosophy and personal career information with us. Please remember her offer to assist you with certain ideas in your classrooms if you contact her. This keynote set the tone for an electric atmosphere for the conference and our networking reception. Everyone appreciated her networking with us for the entire evening and she was available for conversation with all.

Please know that the networking reception was provided by Loews Ventana Canyon Resort for our attendees, and also the beautiful ACTE ice-caring to make it a classy event for all.

I would like us to reflect on the conference article that Tony York wrote for us. There are numerous views of what a hero is, Christopher Reeve said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” While I believe this to be true, I also think it leaves out, that as ordinary individuals our simplest actions and words can have a profound effect on someone else’s day or life.

As I reflect on this year’s conference, and the upcoming school year, may all of our simple actions and words have a profound effect on those we serve. May all of us receive the wisdom and strengths to assist us in our many school year goals.