On Thursday, February 26, at the 75th Annual Founders Day Celebration, the Dearborn PTA Council presented ME with a Distinguished Service Award!! It was an extraordinary honor to be individually recognized by such a powerful organization, especially when there are so many deserving individuals within the Dearborn Public Schools. President Marty Townsend gave a heartfelt introduction and called me up to the podium to present the award. It was pleasantly overwhelming! Directly afterward, the Educator of the Year Award was presented to a very deserving Youssef Mosallam, Principal of Fordson High School. Youssef gave a wonderful impromptu speech about how he was surrounded with a talented, hard-working staff that makes his job easier.
In retrospect, I could’ve done something other than given big smiles, hugs, and a thank you – but a table mate reassured me that all was fine and that a speech wasn’t necessary. So, I would like to make the receipt of this award an opportunity to say that I have been grateful for every day of my 26+ years spent working in the Graphics Lab. It is a beautiful, sunlit, colorful “maker space” where district staff, students, and parents love to come create and accomplish wonderful projects! The environment that I strive to maintain, is one of welcome & learning – you never need to come to the Graphics Lab needing to know exactly how to do a project, but you should always leave having learned something new and be excited to return again. If you have never been to the Graphics Lab (or it’s been awhile), please stop in for an informal tour or just to say hello – I guarantee that you’ll want to come back soon!
Again, many thanks to the Dearborn PTA Council,
Carol Theisen
