Day 31

January 31, 2022

Snowed over rookery

The story behind the sign from last Wednesday goes like this.

In 2004 I began a program with Herb Hentz at GCC to help students transition from nontraditional educational backgrounds to college.  The program ran from 2004 to 2012 and was thoroughly successful in helping its students find a path towards a more satisfying future.  For many that included college and finding some passion to work with.

In 2008, Ted Hannah was such a student.  He received his GED from The Literacy Project and came to GCC.   On Tuesday while waiting to have my car inspected, Ted got out of his truck and called out my name.  It had been 12 years, at least, since we had seen each other.  He told me his story, a successful run in aviation, a degree from Westfield State, a new marriage and now a job with Cohn and Co., realtors in Greenfield.  Ted told me he had advised many kids to find a program like ours because he felt it had given him the confidence to try something new and see where it led him; to explore and find something exciting.  He felt that the program itself and Colleen Caffery and I had instilled that in him.  It was so rewarding to hear.  It was validating and made me feel proud.

So the next day my friend Patrick and I are picking up Indian food for dinner and we park in front of GCC Downtown building.  There in front of me is this sign that declares Ted Hannah as the agent facilitating the sale of the building.  I'm not sure if there isn't some irony in that, but it certainly spoke to the success of many of the students who left that program.  I was awed.

Another day in the local paper.  I haven't participated in any of the radio shows on ECHO, but it has been fun to see it get some press.  Met with a man today who is doing local history, and introduced us to some exciting projects happening that we are hoping to connect to the website.  Echogreenfield.org Check it out.  If you're a teacher there are some nice curriculum ideas and if you are interested in history there are some nice presentations.  We have several coming up, too.