Aim High’s very own Teaching and Learning Manager and former Site Director Christina Chase set the tone for summer #32 at our 2017 All Campus Day at Marin Academy. Delivering closing remarks to an auditorium full of enthusiastic Aim High teachers, she encouraged them to be the educator “who makes learning and hard work cool.” We thought her remarks were so moving that they deserved a blog post of their own. Read them below.
But first, see why Christina loves Aim High in this super short video!
Thank you everyone for being here. Not just today, but for committing to bring the Aim High magic to life for our 2300 students this summer.
I am actually a graduate of Marin Academy; I remember attending assemblies and watching senior performances right here in this room. I remember my favorite teacher, Rey Fernandez, who was the first teacher to make math come alive and made it cool to work hard.
About 15 years ago another one of my teachers at MA convinced me to volunteer at Aim High. I had no idea that at Aim High I would discover my passion and embark on a career in education. I had no idea I would come back summer after summer, holding pretty much every role from High School Intern to Site Director. But to me, that’s the beauty of Aim High. Because at Aim High our students AND our teachers get the opportunity to explore, try new things, gain confidence, build strong relationships, and be part of an amazing, inclusive, and silly community. I love working in the Central Office, but to be honest I’m also a little jealous of the summer you’re all about to embark on.
So please, enjoy it. Work hard, be creative, leverage the resources from your workshops today and this week. Be a champion for you students, share your hidden passion for found art or self-paced running or pirates during afternoon activities. Be the teacher who makes learning and hard work cool for your students. And please, if you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to turn in your I-9 and TB test results to your Site Directors!
Before we go, I’d like to share one final piece of advice for you all. This is a saying we had at my site a few years ago. At Aim High, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. So what does that mean? Remember, that the main thing is our students. We are all here to ensure they have a safe, fun, and challenging summer. We’re all here to help our students make new friends, be brave, find their voice, and develop skills that will be critical to their future success. So thank you so much for being a part of this. I can’t say it enough– thank you. Please enjoy the rest of your day, have the best summer, and go forth and unleash the Aim High magic.
