A very special teacher

[brian]

This is so exciting. My mom still lives in the rural area where I grew up. It's so rural the newspaper comes out only once a week, lol. She saves them for me so I can keep up on happenings back home.

A few weeks ago, there was an ad in the paper saying that a tribute to a certain lady was being planned for late July, and had a phone number to call for details. This lady, Mrs. Rynearson, was my science teacher in high school, and I made a mental note to call about it. Then I got sidetracked.

Fast forward to yesterday. I got an email saying that someone had posted a message to me on Classmates.com. I went and checked it out and it was from the lady planning the event, as it turns out, Mrs. Rynearson's daughter Katrina.

The event is a celebration of her 78th birthday, and they're inviting her old students to come and see her and maybe share some recollections. She taught at my high school from 1961 through 1986 (I graduated in 1985).

When Katrina was telling her what she planned to do, Mrs. Rynearson specifically asked her to try to get in touch with me.

This lady had a big impact on my life. Her love of the sciences in large part led me into a career in engineering. Well, she and Mr. Spock, lol. You know those kinds of teachers who have a passion for what they do? It's not just a job to them. She's one of that rare breed.

Trying to make sure I was the right person, Katrina asked if I was the one who gave her the Valedictorian's Choice Award. When the guidance counselor and I developed the idea back in the day, we had intended for it (and the associated Salutatorian's Choice Award) to become an annual thing. Students are always receiving awards at graduation, it seemed like a good idea to acknowledge who got us there or inspired us. I'm not sure if it ever did catch on, but if there was only one, it went to the right person!

I'm so excited about doing this now. I can't believe she specifically asked after me, one student among hundreds, who she taught 22+ years ago.

I'm hoping Katrina will ask me to speak at the event. I've already been rolling a presentation idea around in my head today. It would be about planting seeds, using myself as an example of the effect of just one seed she planted. I've gone on to develop training systems for the Navy and the Air Force, in effect becoming a teacher of sorts myself, helping our folks in uniform better communicate, and fly & maintain their aircraft. And I helped develop an infrared chemical agent detector that will provide early warning and save lives in the event of an attack. That's just the effect of one student inspired by her to pursue the sciences. Just imagine the full effect of her decades of teaching.

The strangest evidence of the impact she had on me is a script I wrote for Star Trek: The Next Generation in the early 90's. At that time the Star Trek franchise was entertaining submissions from amateur writers, so I wrote one and sent it in. It was ultimately passed over, but in the early acts, the person Captain Picard is ordering around on the planet is named Chief Archeologist Rynearson. That should be good for a laugh.

[Xjmt]

I had very few teachers like that in my life. And usually to late to turn me around to being passionate about a subject.

Maybe you could get Mr Spock to say a few words, also.

And for gawd's sake don't even think about reading the story of that dream you had much less our input.

[trucker2000]

That's awesome Brian.
Our teachers instill so much in us, and to have one that actually rememberd you after all these years is quite special.

[lswot]

That's a wonderful story, Brian......sounds like she was quite a teacher. I can't say I had that kind of relationship with my teachers.....the only thing I wanted to do from day to day is to get out of school. I did have two teachers in High School that more or less influenced me to read history.....albeit long after I was out of school.....but, I still credit them with giving me some interest in the subject.

[LHawke]

Wow, Brian! That's fantastic! It's always the students remembering teachers, but to have a teacher remember YOU...you must have made as much an impact on her as she did on you!

As a student, I have had several teachers make an impact on my life. As a teacher, there have been many more students that have affected me, in many and various ways....some for the bad, but much much more for the good. I now work for the same company that employs one of my students. It is always a thrill to see her over in the office across the hall. The first time I saw her there she wasn't sure if I remembered her...I assured her that I did indeed remember her when I yelled her name for all to hear when I spotted her. (probably embarrassed her a bit...but hey, what's a teacher for???)

[lswot]

what's a teacher for???

............a passing grade?

[LHawke]

[lswot]

[brian]

Well, the tribute is happening on Sunday, and I've written this up to deliver at the affair. Please tell me if you think it's too sappy, or if the part about me sounds braggy or too long-winded. It is a tribute to her, after all. But the intention is to convey how inspiring one person can cause benefit to countless others. I'm thinking maybe the paragraph that starts with "I'm proud" could be deleted entirely, without losing the message.

I would like to take a few moments to discuss the impact one teacher can have on a life, and the far-reaching effects of that impact.

In the early 1980’s, I had the distinct pleasure of being one of Betty Rynearson’s pupils. In her classes – I think I eventually took all of them – I saw her passion for the sciences and quite frankly, it rubbed off on me. I am confident that I am not alone in that.

I have been in many classrooms in my life. Most merely have been places where work is done. Trudge in, do the readings, take the tests, move on. But not Betty Rynearson’s science lab. That lab was a place of wonder, a place of discovery. I remember the first time I walked in. I saw lab tables for wild experimentation, ventilation hoods to contain noxious chemical reactions, a whole menagerie of creepy creatures in jars... It was like a wonderland for my young mind. I immediately suspected that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary place of schoolbook drudgery. And Mrs. Rynearson proved it. That lab was a place of discovery, of the kind of caring hands-on approach to learning that has lasting impact.

My experiences there in large part lead to me setting down my own path in the sciences. I eventually earned two engineering degrees, and have been developing simulators and training systems for the U.S. military for the past 17 years. In effect, I have become a teacher myself. I don’t work in a classroom, but I use my technical know-how to help teach such things as flight skills, aircraft maintenance, celestial navigation, and communication.

The simulators I have developed are deployed to train Navy and Air Force personnel in Florida, Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and California. Many of you may have friends or relatives who have learned critical skills from these devices. In my one foray out of training and simulation, I helped develop sensors which through early warning will save lives in the event of chemical or biological attack.

I’m proud of the work I do. In my own way, I help to ensure that our troops have the best training and the best maintained equipment available, so they can do their jobs to the best of their ability, and have the best chance at coming home safely to their families.

You can see how that seed planted by a teacher who cared back at Umatilla High School had more far-reaching effects than any grade on a report card. And I am one of Betty Rynearson’s students. Just imagine the collective effect of the hundreds of students who have had the benefit of her instruction over the decades.

In 1985, I was the Valedictorian of my graduating class. I was asked if I would like to create an award to recognize a teacher who had a positive influence on me. I said, “Absolutely!” and it didn’t take a moment’s thought to identify who that was. So the Valedictorian’s Choice Award was created, and I was proud to present it to Mrs. Betty Rynearson. Twenty-two years have passed, and you’re still my choice.

Happy Birthday, Betty, with loving wishes for many more,

Brian

[lswot]

The simulators I have developed are deployed to train Navy and Air Force personnel in Florida, Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and California. Many of you may have friends or relatives who have learned critical skills from these devices. In my one foray out of training and simulation, I helped develop sensors which through early warning will save lives in the event of chemical or biological attack.

I’m proud of the work I do. In my own way, I help to ensure that our troops have the best training and the best maintained equipment available, so they can do their jobs to the best of their ability, and have the best chance at coming home safely to their families.

You might shorten these two paragraphs into one. But other than that....well said. She's sounds like a remarkable teacher.

[AnneB]

I agree with lswot, but the whole thing is great.

[brian]

I did as you suggested, and some minor word-smithing. Here's what I think I'm going with:

I would like to take a few moments to discuss the impact one teacher can have on a life, and the far-reaching effects of that impact.

In the early 1980’s, I had the distinct pleasure of being one of Betty Rynearson’s pupils. In her classes – I think I eventually took all of them – I saw her passion for the sciences and quite frankly, it rubbed off on me. I am confident that I am not alone in that.

I have been in many classrooms in my life. Most merely have been places where work is done. Trudge in, do the readings, take the tests, move on. But not Betty Rynearson’s science lab. That lab was a place of wonder, a place of discovery. I remember the first time I walked in. I saw lab tables for wild experimentation, ventilation hoods to contain noxious chemical reactions, a whole menagerie of creepy creatures in jars... It was like a wonderland for my young mind. I immediately suspected that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary place of schoolbook drudgery. And Mrs. Rynearson proved it. That lab was a place of discovery, of the kind of caring hands-on approach to learning that has lasting impact.

My experiences there in large part lead to me setting down my own path in the sciences. I eventually earned two engineering degrees, and have been developing simulators and training systems for the U.S. military for the past 17 years. In effect, I have become a teacher myself. I don’t work in a classroom, but I use my technical know-how to help teach such things as flight skills, aircraft maintenance, celestial navigation, and communication.

The simulators I have developed are scattered all over the country: in Florida, Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and California. Many of you may have friends or relatives in the Navy or Air Force who have learned critical skills from these devices, skills which help them to do their jobs to the best of their ability and return safely to their families from wherever they may be deployed.

You can see how that one seed planted by a teacher who cared back at Umatilla High School had more far-reaching effects than any grade on a report card. And I am one of Betty Rynearson’s students. Just imagine the collective effect of the hundreds of students who have had the benefit of her instruction over the decades.

More years ago than I like to admit – I’m turning 40 on Thursday, myself! – I was the Valedictorian of my graduating class. Preparing for graduation, I was asked if I might like to create an award to recognize the teacher who had had the most positive influence on me. I said, “Absolutely!” and it didn’t take much thought to identify who the recipient would be. So the Valedictorian’s Choice Award was created, and I was proud to present it to Mrs. Betty Rynearson on May 31, 1985. More than twenty-two years have passed since that evening, and you’re still my choice.

Happy Birthday, Betty, with loving wishes for many more,

Brian

[AnneB]

Works for me.

[trucker2000]

Wow Brian,
That's going to be one great speach. You've done a great job with it.
I have absolutely no suggestions. It's great the way it is. (both versions)

[brian]

Thanks, all. I'll let you know how it goes.

It's strange, I've been thinking of this as a tribute to this one lady, and that there'd be a bunch of people I don't know there. But it just hit me today, this is going to be like a class reunion on steroids, with people from not only my class, but the "neighboring" classes as well. I found out that the class of '87 is having their 20 this weekend, and have put this tribute on their calendar of events. And there'll probably be lots of old teachers and administrators there, too. That's why I word-smithed the last paragraph (from "not a moment's thought" to "not much thought" and from "a positive influence" to "the most positive influence"), to soften the slight to those I did not choose to recognize, lol.

And I went out and bought a new outfit today, going with shirt, tie and slacks. I've really dorked out over this. I'm quite nervous about seeing her again. Her daughter cautioned me that she had a stroke five years ago and is paralyzed on the left side and confined to a wheelchair.

I've done a lot of browsing of my old yearbooks today. I hope I don't forget anyone important.

And I left out the impact Mr. Spock has had on me, since he probably won't be at this function.

I may mention the script in conversation, though.