Columbia Union Educators Attend NAD Teachers’ Convention in Chicago V. Michelle Bernard
field trip J
ust before school started, some 6,000 Seventh-day Adventist educators gathered in Chicago for the 2018 North American Division Teachers’ Convention, themed “Encounter Jesus, Experience Excellence.” They came to sharpen their skills, fellowship, and, after three days of inspiring keynote speakers and 420 workshop options, left more committed than ever to cultivate a culture of excellence and introduce students to the
8 | VISITOR October 2018
best teacher ever—Jesus Christ. In this recap, some of the 479 Columbia Union participants share takeaways from their whirlwind “Windy City” fieldtrip: “Everything happened because of [a] teacher who took the time to remind me how great my God is,” said Elizabeth Talbot, speaker/director of Jesus 101 Biblical Institute, and keynote speaker for the convention, as she challenged the attendees to first be fed by Jesus before sharing Him with their students. Another popular convention speaker, Sam Leonor (pictured left), chaplain of La Sierra University in Riverside, Calif., echoed Talbot’s sentiment in his morning devotionals. “We should find our joy complete in Him before we stand in front of our students,” he said. In another general session, speaker Manny Scott— whose stories were told in the 2007 film Freedom Writers—shared how English teacher Erin Gruwell came to his inner-city school and reached the students by using culturally relevant art forms like rap as learning tools. Scott also encouraged the teachers to make a difference in their students’ lives. “Sometimes you have to believe in someone else’s belief in you before yours sets in,” said Scott, who further encouraged the teachers that even on their worst days they can be someone else’s hope.