Where do I start? This was one of the most rewarding weeks of my life. Great fellowship, great fun, and great food.
I had no idea what to expect as I drove out to the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. Are we going to be stuck in a room doing lesson plans most of the time? Will we have to sit through long and pointless presentations each day? Yes, I read the agenda. For some reason, I was still uncertain as to how the week was going to go.
From the opening session to the Big Project, this was an amazing experience. There were so many highlights, so I will try to focus on a few of them.
Great Fellowship
Being surrounded by some of the best and brightest educators in the state can be intimidating. I was overjoyed to be able to learn and collaborate with my Kenan Fellows throughout the week. Excellent workshops, interesting Kenan talks, The Big Picture project, and the numerous engaging side conversations were extremely beneficial for me. I am excited to build my Professional Learning Network after meeting so many talented educators!
Great Fun
Hiking, whitewater rafting, and sightseeing. Laughing, joking, and talking. We had a lot of fun this week. I took advantage of being in the mountains (for the first time ever), and decided to go hiking a couple of days. My colleague Nick Tisci started a mini Fit Club, so I figured why not. The first hike lasted about an hour. I thought that was enough for my first hike. The second day we made it to the end of the 1.7 mile (actually 2.1 mile) yellow loop of the trail. That took a little longer than I expected, as I almost missed the bus to go whitewater rafting. I know, I know. Why did I have to be late? But, it worked out as I had the front seat on the bus.
Nantahala means “Great place to enjoy yourself if you love the outdoors, water, people and fun!” in the Cherokee language. If you have never been whitewater rafting, I suggest you add it to your bucket list. This was my first time, and I really enjoyed it. I had the pleasure of being on two boats during my trip down the river. Contrary to public opinion, I was not exiled from my first boat “Team Extreme”, rather we had to even the boats out with people. But hey, it’s no love lost. I appreciate how my second crew welcomed me as the “Rooster in the Henhouse” as my colleague Heather called me. The journey down the river was amazing. From the plant and bird life, the Troll Bridge, and the ecology lesson pit stops, it was great. Left side forward, right side back. All forward! I forgot to mention that they had some beautiful homes on the river as well. In the words of Chris Farley, I wouldn’t mind “Living in a van down by the river!”
Great Food
The food at NCCAT was delicious and nutritious. This was not your normal retreat/hotel/teacher meeting food. The food was so good that I had to seek out recipes for various items. In case you are interested, I have the recipe for some great Macaroni & Cheese. Thanks to Carmen and the NCCAT food crew for great food and service throughout the week.
As you can see, This was a great week! If only all professional development was as relevant and rewarding as this week at NCCAT. Thanks again to the great folks at Kenan Fellows for this fantastic opportunity!