VATE at NCTE 2009
December 8th, 2009
VATE was well represented and in full force at the 99th annual NCTE convention November 19-24. Our presence was especially felt at the annual Affiliate Breakfast on Saturday, November 21, where once again VATE garnered a number of awards including the Affiliate of Excellence Award for the third straight year. Many thanks to our NCTE liaison, Jan Suppa-Friedman, for her tireless efforts in documenting our activities. The notebook detailing our activities will be on display at the next executive board meeting, and I think we should put it on display at next fall’s VATE conference for all of our members to see.And speaking of next fall’s VATE conference, our president-elect, Sarah Tanner-Anderson, who is responsible for making that conference a reality, has already “hit the ground running” by securing NCTE president, Kylene Beers, as our keynote speaker for 2010. She has also chosen the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Wyndham as the site for our October 22-24 conference. She has surely demonstrated that she is very deserving of the NCTE Leadership Development Award that she received at the Affiliate Breakfast.
VATE also received the Teacher of the Dream Award, which included a cash prize along with the honor. The award recognized VATE’s efforts in promoting the participation of minority pre-service teaching associates in their professional organizations, such as VATE and NCTE. VATE will use the money to sponsor the participation of students from historically black colleges and universities in Virginia at our annual VATE conference. The hope is that the students will develop affiliates at their respective schools. Adria Merritt, our incoming president and chair of the 2009 conference was very instrumental in our achieving this award, and thus keeping the dream alive in Virginia.
Also at the Affiliate Breakfast, Carrie Perry stepped in for our webmaster extradornaire, Linda MacCleave, and accepted an honorable mention award for our website. Carrie then closed out a day of awards, as she was VATE’s pick for High School Teacher of the Year. She was recognized at the Secondary Luncheon.
Congratulations to all of those who represented VATE so well!