Teacher Appreciation Night

Last week Chad was picked by one of his students (on the girls' basketball team) to be recognized at "Teacher Appreciation Night," where select teachers were introduced during basketball game halftime and presented with an award by the student who nominated them.  Below is the script, written by his student, that was read when he was presented with the award.  Way to go, Mr. Hayden! 

"Mr. Hayden has made such an impact on my life.  He has helped me value my education by showing compassion for his students and his subject.  He is the most intelligent man I've ever met.  He is also an eloquent speaker who can capture anyone's attention.  I've learned that there is always an opportunity to learn and grow as an individual.  He has taught that there are more beautiful aspects of life if you make the effort to look beyond the surface.  Mr. Hayden is a great teacher and person.  His love for English and speaking is contagious and has personally inspired me to be more loving and pursue a more fulfilling life."

Performing Big - Deep In The Heart Of Texas!

For the second year in a row, Clovis North Forensics qualified to the National Forensic League National Championships -- this year in downtown Dallas, Texas, from June 13-18. On all accounts, the tournament proved to be terrific experience. 

The team qualified 6 students to the tournament -- 3 seniors and 3 sophomores:

Dalton Defendis & Michael Greenbury – Policy Debate

Eugene Park – Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Dolapo Sangokoya – Dramatic Interpretation

Jennifer Zheng – International Extemporaneous Speaking

Josh Samra – Student Congress

The week-long tournament was run differently than previous Nationals in that the entire tournament was held in the Downtown Sheraton Hotel! That’s right, all 50 states, Guam and representatives from China converged on the Sheraton for a week of crowded hallways and backed-up elevators. But in the end, the chaotic logistics of competing in a large hotel proved to make for some interesting memories. The tournament began with registration on Monday, June 13th. Students competed in 6 preliminary rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday night, the field of 250+ students in each event were cut to 60 students. And for the first time in my National Tournament career, Clovis North Forensics broke students from the preliminary rounds into the demanding out-rounds.

• In Policy Debate, Dalton Defendis and Michael Greenbury advanced to round 9 – one of the top 40 teams in the country.
• In Dramatic Interpretation, Dolapo Sangokoya advanced to the Semi-Final round and placed 8th in the country. No other student from Clovis Unified has performed so well since 1991.

In addition to the highlights of the tournament, the students got to enjoy Texas BBQ, as well as the beauty and efficiency of the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit), and witness the very spot where JFK was assassinated. By the end of the tournament, all of us were ready to come home. It was a bittersweet moment at the Fresno Air Terminal where I had to say goodbye to 3 seniors who had become like my own children over the last three years of competition.

2010-2011 was a memorable year for Clovis North Forensics. Valley Champions, District Champions, a finalist at State and a semi-finalist at Nationals. Next year, it's back to square one. After losing so many seniors, we will begin the process of rebuilding. But isn’t that what’s fun about coaching? The challenges are always new and they never cease.



Clovis North Forensics Awards

On Wednesday night I had the pleasure of joining Chad and Broc (his assistant coach) as they gave their annual awards presentation to the speech & debate team. Plaques were presented for MVP, Coaches' Award, Outstanding Freshman/ Sophomore/ Junior/ Senior, etc. We gathered in Mr. Hayden's classroom for pizza first and then went next door into "The Forensics Room" (yes, Chad has 2 classrooms!) for a special video and the awards presentation.

The video was fantastic, put together by senior student Christiana. Each senior student on the team gave a tribute to Mr. Hayden. I will see if I can get it to upload to Blogger.

After the awards, the seniors also presented Mr. Hayden with some very special gifts, which are pictured below. This year's team had 13 seniors who performed SO well but are now going off to college...we will miss them very much!

"Baby" quilt made for Mr. Hayden by the graduating seniors

Signed poster from the graduating seniors

Clovis North Baccalaureate

On Sunday night, Chad was honored to be the Baccalaureate speaker for the very first graduating class of Clovis North High School. He was listed on the program as a "teacher of distinction" and absolutely proved that to be true with his AWESOME message and delivery! So many people came up to him after the service to say what a fantastic job he did and how great the content was. I felt like I was married to a local celebrity! On the way home I told him, "I predict that you get asked to speak again -- the word is out about you!" Sure enough, on Monday morning he received an email from someone who had been in the audience -- a local pastor -- asking Chad to give the speech at this pastor's church next Sunday (both services)! He graciously accepted and will be speaking to the high school graduates in the congregation.

Needless to say, we could not be more proud of him! Here are some pics of him on stage at Northside Church in Clovis. And, although it makes this post super long, I've included the transcript of his speech below.

The Speech...

This really is a forensics coach’s dream come true. But the irony is that forensic coaches rarely get to speak in public. In fact, after giving it a little thought, it dawned on me that I haven’t given a formal speech since May of 1994. That was my senior year in high school, 17 years ago. Preparing and practicing this speech has been a real exercise in humility. I’ve spent the last 12 years coaching forensics and teaching students the fundamentals of public speaking. And now the shoe is on the other foot. So to the members of the Clovis North Forensics team in the audience, here’s your chance to critique Mr. Hayden. Tomorrow morning you can let me know of every word I didn’t correctly enunciate or paragraphs that I spoke too quickly on. But… be gentle … I’m sensitive. I’m sorry I was mean to you! You’re the best! I love you.

I really do want to thank you for the privilege of being part of the first Baccalaureate service in the history of Clovis North High School. For the last three years I’ve had the pleasure to teach this class in sophomore and junior English, AP Literature and Forensics. In three years I’ve seen you crawl out of the primordial ooze of ignorance and on to the firm standing of intellectual brilliance. Thank you for giving me the chance to publically send off an exceptional class. Although comparing you to Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation might be a little heavy handed, I have no doubts that this class will make a significant mark not only on America, but the global community.

2010-11 has been a year of firsts for Clovis North. The first year to drive off campus, , the first year to beat Buchanan in varsity football, the first year to win a rally. In fact, Clovis North had a break out year both athletically and academically. Valley Champions in boys basketball, cross country, water polo, swimming, girls and boys tennis, girls and boys golf, Mock Trial and Forensics. State Champions in Marching Band. A National Champion in Wrestling. And our API or Academic Performance Index is the highest of any public high school in the Valley. For the last four years you have worked hard to be first. Not surprisingly, your excellence has been recognized by prestigious academic institutions all over the country. Universities from UCLA, Berkeley, Pepperdine, Harvey Mudd, Santa Clara, George Mason and Duke have awarded this class more than $1.5 million dollars in scholarships. You should be proud of your hard work! And yet, four days before we send you out into the cold, harsh world, I have to admit, I’m a little worried. I’m not worried because you’re unprepared. You’ve all been given the necessary tools to succeed, to adapt and to chase after your wildest dreams. And I’m not worried when Daniel Lee takes over the world. He’s assured me that I get a key position in his empire. Don’t forget our deal Bucko! I can still change your grade! No… I’m not worried because of your preparedness to succeed and to be first in whatever you do. I’m worried that many of you don’t know how to be last.

Last? Well sure! Can’t you hear coach Simons psyching up his football team at the beginning of the year with such inspirational words:

Simons: Alright men, we’re going to win the Valley Championship this year. And you know how we’re going to do it?
Player: Uh… hard work and determination, Coach?
Simons: Of course not you nincompoop! We’re going to be LAST in Run Defense, LAST in Special Teams, LAST in Turnovers and LAST in Passing Yards.

In a school district that has prided itself on its intense competition I understand this idea seems contrary to everything you’ve been taught for the last 13 years. But I tell you, there are a lot of lessons you’ve learned in public education that are the exact opposite of the real world. I know…I know… It’s like a crazy scene from The Matrix:

Morpheus: The world you’ve been living in is a dream world Neo. Everything you’ve been told is a lie. But what I’m offering you is the truth. The first shall be last, the last shall be first. And Justin Beiber really isn’t an amazing singer.

So what does it mean to be last?

Jesus of Nazareth provides some interesting insight on this concept. In the ninth chapter of the book of Mark, we find Jesus’ twelve disciples entering the small fishing village of Capernaum. Upon entering a house Jesus began to question his disciples. “What were you discussing on the way?” he asks. But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.” If the disciples are anything like my 7th period class, I can imagine that the conversation going something like this:

Jesus: Hey. Hey! Would you pipe down! What’s all the fuss about?
Disciples: Uhh… Nothing.
Jesus: No… really! I’m always up for a good story. Thomas? What were you discussing?
Thomas: Well Matthew said he was the greatest, but Phillip said that as a tax collector he was about as low as a dirty goat hoof. And then Peter piped up saying how he was the greatest, and Bartholomew told him that his fish nets were so weak, they couldn’t even catch a cold. So uhh… you know Peter gave Bartholomew a wedgie and called it good.

The rest of the verse tells us that Jesus sat down, called the twelve disciples to gather around and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

Class of 2011, you’ve worked hard to be first. And because of that hard work you been recognized, celebrated and honored as first. But as you prepare to exit the hallowed and extremely wide halls of Clovis North, its time to walk to the back of the line. So what does it mean to be last? Jesus said that to be first meant that you must forsake your self-righteous claims to be served and to serve those around you. I know that you’re on the precipice of preparing for that perfect little life.

Harvard boy: Oh I’ve got it all planned out. I’m going to UCLA for my undergraduate work, then an MBA at the Wharton Business school, an internship at Goldman Sachs, Portfolio manager of a moderate hedge fund, a house in the Hamptons and Polo every Sunday. Oh life will be grand!

Oh life will indeed be grand! And you’ll be so happy. Or will you? Because about the time, you’re going to remember Mrs. Emma Sanchez, the cluster secretary for Mrs. Enns and Mr. Rodriguez and how she always took the time to answer your questions, or pop a bag of popcorn for you, or to give you her leftovers when you forgot your lunch. You’ll remember how Mr. Anderson gave up his lunch to watch over manditutorials and how you couldn’t remember any other principal really giving a rip because you had an ‘F’ on your report card. And then you’ll remember how happy they were. How they always had a smile on their face.

Harvard Boy: Have they stumbled on some cosmic secret that I missed? I mean, I have a quarter of a million dollars in school loans. What did I miss?

Mrs. Sanchez and Mr. Anderson will tell you that happiness comes from serving others.

Empirical evidence proves this to be true. What is the happiest country in the world? I’m going to going to ruin the surprise and tell you that it ISN’T the United States. In fact, according to Reuters, America was ranked 20th behind such countries as Panama and Columbia. The happiest country on earth is… Denmark. Denmark? Cold, dreary, unremarkable Denmark? A country synonymous with a perpetual state of rottenness and Gertrude’s whiny son Hamlet. What makes Danes so happy? A 2002 study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, points out that the difference is an emphasis on family. When asked, “What makes you happy?” Danes consistently emphasized time with friends and family. But for Americans, they emphasized achieving ones goals.

Notice the root of these objectives: Although we may automatically imagine hanging out in the back yard relaxing and laughing, friends and family suggests selfLESSness; shopping for birthday presents, doing dishes after Thanksgiving, changing dirty diapers, helping jump your buddy’s car at 2:00am in the morning, or taking care of grandpa after his recent hip surgery.

But achieving one’s goals connotes selfishness,: it conjures up images of ambition, rugged individualism, stepping on a colleague just to get ahead and Gordon Gecko from Wallstreet. Jesus didn’t tell us to be servants because he was trying to create some socialist utopia. He told us to be servants because it’s how we were meant to function. We are happiest when we are serving others. And perhaps most importantly, we are meant to serve because that is what the kingdom of heaven looks like.

Ladies and Gentleman, look around. If you look closely, you’ll notice several students in the audience who shaved their heads to help raise money for children with cancer. I want those students who participated to stand up. These students are a just a small fraction of 140 students at both Granite Ridge and Clovis North who selflessly sacrificed an integral part of their very personality. In the process, these saints helped raise $17,000 so that children suffering with cancer might have hope to actually walk across the stage during their graduation. I surveyed those students who participated immediately after their heads were shaved and asked them to complete two questions.

They were to first identify three words that best described their emotional state after sacrificing their hair for charity. Some of the more insightful participants wrote down, elation, inspirational, invigorating, breathtaking, rewarding and Sexy. Just look at Timmy Souza’s head. There’s a sexy bald head! And then there were those students who decided to add to the American Lexicon with such words as Breezeful. I’m hoping that was a 7th grader.

Next, students had to circle one of the following five words that best described their emotional state. HORRIFIED, DISAPPOINTED INDIFFERENT, CONTENT, OR OVERJOYED. Of those students surveyed, 77% replied that they were OVERJOYED to shave their head for charity. 18% said they were CONTENT, 1 student said they were INDIFFERENT and one student said they were HORRIFIED. Probably another 7th grader. Ladies and Gentlemen, these are more than statistics. These are real students and staff members who remind us that serving others isn’t a chore. It’s not some box that you need to check to prove to Harvard that you really care about your fellow human being. Serving others is a way of life and the way to life.

And as Shakespeare reminds us in The Merchant of Venice, service much like mercy, is twice blest:

"It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest:
it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown…
It is an attribute to God.”

Now I’m not telling you to give up on your dream to control a $2.5 billion hedge fund portfolio. But if that dream doesn’t leave room to serve others, you’re fate will be a lonely statistic opposite the page of some lame Scandinavian country boasting a higher rate of happiness than America.

Class of 2011, let us heed the advice of an ancient Jewish Carpenter who knew a little something about sacrifice. Seek not a life of privilege or entitlement, but a life of being last. God bless each and every one of you. May His life, His love and His sacrifice lead you to the desires of your heart.

Thank you!

Clovis North "Showcase of Talent"

Last night Chad and his Forensics team hosted their first annual "Showcase of Talent." The purpose of the event, a dinner fundraiser, was to feature the students who were the top speakers in the Valley and raise some much-needed funds for their trip to the National Forensic League tournament in Dallas this June. Guests enjoyed the meal catered by Luna's Italian Restaurant and served by the kids. While eating and enjoying dessert and coffee, the 6 students going to Nationals performed their award-winning pieces. The night was a big success for the team (they raised more than $2,000.00!) and a great opportunity for parents and family to hear the pieces that the kids have worked so hard on all year. Chad is looking forward to making the event even better next year -- hopefully it will become a fun tradition! Below are pics of Chad introducing the students going to Nationals and the trophies the team has collected over the year.

Most Inspirational Teacher

Congratulations to "Mr. Hayden" on being named "Most Inspirational Teacher" by the first Senior class of Clovis North High School! That's an award much more impactful and meaningful than standardized test scores! I'm soooo proud of my sweetie!

Clovis North Forensics: More Record-Setting Achievements!

Last month I blogged about the team's success at the Logan Invitational over the weekend of February 11th. This has quickly become old news! The very next weekend, the team went on to partipate in the even-bigger annual speech and debate invitational at UC Berkeley (you may recall my posts from our trip to Berkeley last year) where more than 2,500 kids from more than 20 states compete. In a victory unprecedented in Chad's coaching career, one of his kids (Kyle) made it all the way to the final round in "dramatic interpretation" and took 6th place in the tournament.

From there, just one week later, the team won the entire Valley Championships (the best out of all 23 schools in their League, which stretches from Fresno to Bakersfield) and Dolapo again took first place in "dramatic interpretation," using the same piece that scored her the victory at Logan.

Talk about a "hat trick" -- that's three weekends in a row of record-setting achievements for Chad and his team!

As if that weren't enough, last weekend Chad and the kids ventured down to Bakersfield for the District Championship. This is the tournament that qualifies kids to the National Forensic League tournament in June. (Learn more about "Forensics" here.) In another string of impressive victories, Dolapo again took first place in "dramatic interpretation," while Eugene took first place in Lincoln-Douglas debate and Jennifer took first place in "international extemporaneous speaking." Dalton took second place in "oratory," and the entire team took sweepstakes, once again showing the other 23 schools in their League who is the top team in the Valley!

In June, Chad and 5 of his top competitors will travel to Dallas for the National tournament. In the meantime, we're grateful that the tournament schedule slows down until then.

World's Busiest Sweetie

These past few months have felt like the busiest EVER for The Haydens! Chad's schedule has consisted of the usual teaching (2 periods of English 11 and 2 periods of Advanced Placement Literature ["AP Lit"], 1 period of speech/debate ["Forensics"]), coaching Forensics tournaments on the weekends, fitting in some private debate lessons (a great way to earn "fun money"), grading essays (about 75 at a time) and also participating in the ELA program with a group of other esteemed teachers from Clovis Unified. The ELA program participation requires him to write 6 lesson plans per semester that are 100% based on California's standards. Each lesson has to have its components cross-referenced with this 92-page standards manual. Fun, fun! It's been a lot of hard work but also speaks to his knowledge as a teacher and the respect that his peers have for his teaching/lesson planning ability.

Last week I took the day off work and spent a few hours in Mr. Hayden's classroom. I've always wanted to do this, and we finally made it happen. It's fun to make a rare appearance and hear the kids whispering, "Is that Mrs. Hayden?" I got to observe the Forensics class (kids practicing their speeches) and the AP Lit class (kids explicating poems written on the theme "An Ode to Autumn" - very impressive!) and watch my sweetie in his element. Interesting trivia, my boss's daughter is one of his students and was in the class I observed. Anyway, it was so much fun and I can't wait to do it again! Here's a pic that I was able to sneak, of Chad interacting with some of the kiddos. I'm super proud of him for being such a well-liked and accomplished teacher and coach!

From Sprinklers To Syllabi

With our backyard project still in the works, Chad headed back to school on Monday. This year he is teaching English 11 (reading highlights include The Crucible, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, along with various poems and short stories) and 12th grade Advanced Placement Literature (students will be reading The Scarlet Letter, The Sorrows of Young Werter, The Awakening, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Heart of Darkness, Hamlet, No Exit and The Stranger). Along with a hefty syllabus and numerous late nights spent grading essays, teaching AP Lit promises a year full of insightful discussions with Clovis North’s most academically involved and ambitious students.

We spent the weekend getting “back to school” ready by hitting up the Tulare outlets (shopping for him – it’s a rare occurrence!) and putting the finishing touches on his classroom décor. This year Chad has TWO classrooms (how cool is that?!) – one for English and the other for the Forensics (Speech & Debate) team. Check out the pics of Mr. Hayden’s room below!

History From Grandpa's Perspective

Many of you know the adoration I have for my grandparents. Words can’t really express how much they mean to me and how grateful I am to have their influence in my life and their blood running through my veins! I can’t choose a favorite grandparent, but I will say that my Grandpa is special to me like no other. He’s truly an amazing man, and I’d have to write lots to fully explain why. He’s smart and savvy, sweet and funny, a man of deep character and integrity, he’s got a heart full of optimism, and he’s the patriarch of our wonderful family.

This past school year, some of Chad’s AP students were tasked to find and interview a World War II veteran, and so he offered to introduce them to Grandpa. Below is the summary report prepared by Christiana and her classmates, along with some pictures she included in her presentation. I have always loved hearing my Grandpa’s stories, and I’m so grateful she was willing to share this one with me.


Every historical textbook lists the casualties, treaties, major events of World War II with the ultimate goal of teaching students about life in America. They all outline major negotiations, conspiracies within the government, and significant battles. Yet, rarely do these books ever explain what life was like for the average citizen—someone who was not a high-ranking official nor extremely wealthy. The lack of emphasis on this specific point-of-view holds more weight than many historians will admit. The fact is: America is a country for the people, by the people, and of the people. These people are our family, friends, and neighbors; they are the majority. Unfortunately, by focusing on mostly accounts of only “important” historical characters, we lose chances to hear the priceless stories that our predecessors may never get to share. As members of the 21st century, we may be the last generation to speak in person with World War II veterans. The main purpose of this project was not to learn about the happenings of the war, but to preserve one person’s life story, to create a historical record for future generations to read.

On Tuesday, April 27, 2010, when my friends and I went to interview Mr. Quentin Unruh, we were not expecting very much—to say the least. I was not particularly enthusiastic about conducting an awkward interview with a man I hardly knew. Needless to say, I soon realized how ignorant and foolish I was. After warmly shaking our hands and insisting that we call him, Grandpa, I began to warm up to the 89-year-old man. Standing at about 5’8’’ with a rugged smile on his face, Grandpa’s charisma and charming personality made me curious to hear his story. As he began to talk about his position as the assistant manager of Safeway before the war, I could not help but smile and think, “What an ordinary man—this is so cute!” The entire time I furiously jotted down notes, Grandpa wistfully told me about his friends, feelings, and thoughts during the war. He described the ups and downs, the happy and sad, the crazy and normal. After asking about Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and the atomic bombs, Grandpa’s responses confirmed my rising suspicion. History books imply that many events were obvious and inevitable, but from a live eye-witness’s point-of-view, people were often clueless and unaware. Though technology has significantly increased over the last few decades, the American government’s method of hiding important war plans from the public has not changed.

From Grandpa Unruh, I learned a lot about experiences of a medical assistant: witnessing terrible injuries, seeing hundreds of dead bodies, working under intense pressure for extensive periods of time. However, I left the interview that day with a bigger issue on my mind. As trite as it may sound, I finally came to my own conclusion that no one is “ordinary” or “average” despite their status. Each person has their own individual story that no one else can ever truly repeat. No one should be overlooked nor underestimated. It is ironic since it took an “ordinary” conversation with an old, war veteran to remind me of that.


Grandpa around the time of the draft; he & Grandma at their 50th wedding anniversary.

Record Victory For Clovis North Forensics!

This past weekend, Clovis North High School hosted the national qualifying forensics tournament. (For those of you who aren't sure what I'm talking about, check out this post.) By way of background, each school in the region takes a turn hosting one tournament each season. Some tournaments are for speaking events; some are for debate events. This tournament was a 3-day ordeal that included ALL events (both speaking and debate) to qualify students to the national forensics tournament this coming June (in Kansas City, MO). There were 28 schools represented, with more than 250 students competing. It's an exhausting, whirlwind event for Chad because, as the coach for the hosting school, he's got to coordinate everything it takes to run the tournament -- classrooms to be used during the competition, parent judges to judge rounds, custodial staff during the event, snack bar fund raising, food for the volunteer judges, etc. I'm typically on call to help with the snack bar, judging, and food service as needed. However, the event absolutely couldn't happen without help from Chad's mom, who is always available to coordinate, pick up, and serve meals to the parent judges. Thank you so much Barbara -- and Paul, too! This year we fed a total of 5 meals to the 80 or so judges who came out to support the tournament.

The GREAT news is that for all of our hard work, Chad's team had several outstanding victories! Brandi (a freshman!) won first place in Lincoln-Douglas debate, with junior Christiana coming in 2nd place behind her. Dolapo (junior) took first place in Dramatic Interpretation for her presentation of "The Color Purple." Dalton (junior) took first place in Original Oratory for his speech called "The Blame Game." Shaun and Jennifer (both juniors) took 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, in International Extemporaneous. Overall the team took 2nd place in "sweepstakes" behind Bakersfield High. This means that Chad has six students going to the national tournament this summer! (In previous years, he's taken anywhere from 1-3 kids.) Look out, Kansas City!

Weekend At Berkeley

Woo! Our blog now has 5 followers. =) You'd think with the 100+ Christmas cards I send out, all with our blog address, I could get a little more action. Maybe many have bookmarked me but don't follow. Anyway, I'm having fun with this online journal and photo album. I always wish Chad would blog more because he's such a smart cookie and a really great writer and he has lots of important stuff he could share. I will keep working on that!

Anyway....the tail end of January and month of February are blowing by with debate debate debate on the calendar. I don't know how Chad survives it, working hard all week (having to be "on," talking and teaching students all day seems exhausting to me) and then giving up Saturdays to coach. It's truly his passion, investing in the kids and watching them grow and succeed.

This past weekend I accompanied the team to the Berkeley Invitational, which is the largest speech & debate tournament in the U.S. each year. More than 2500 kids come from 20+ states to compete. It's known for being intense and cut-throat, and it's the training ground for the national tournament that's held each year in June. The University of California campus is just beautiful, and provided hours of enjoyment for me and my camera/iPhone. I had a great time walking (hiking, really) around the campus, exploring Telegraph Avenue, and spending some time with the kids on the team. I didn't get to judge any rounds (debate it so complex it makes my head hurt) but I did sit with Chad through a round of "humorous interpretation" that was quite entertaining.

Overall his kids did GREAT against some very tough, national competition. In Policy Debate, Kyle and Tim advanced to the double Octofinal Round. In Dramatic Interpretation and Humorous Interpretation, Dolapo advanced to the Octofinal Round. And in Original Oratory, Dalton advanced to the quarter-final round and was one of the top 15 of more than 150 speakers!

My favorite quote from the campus: "Berkeley will drown you in a fountain of knowledge...and then teach you to walk on water." Below are some of my iPhone pics of the campus, debaters, Telegraph Avenue, etc. Enjoy!

The famous Sather Tower...

The beautiful Life Sciences building...

The original library...

Sather Gate...

Tulip trees...

Students plugged in and prepping for rounds...

Debate boxes full of evidence...

Chad's Forensics Team Update

Just in time for the end of the year, below is an update that I wrote for our "Bronco Newsletter" at Clovis North, featuring the successes of our forensics team so far this school year!

Famous playwright George Bernard Shaw once quipped that “youth is wasted on the young.” In only its 2nd year of existence, the Clovis North Forensics team is working hard to disprove Shaw’s wisdom with their consistent triumphs in regional and out-of-town tournaments. The competitive speech and debate team has had a productive 1st semester preparing for the upcoming Valley Championships during the spring semester.

In October, Clovis North Forensics traveled south to Cal State Fullerton to compete against the best speakers and debaters from Southern California. Novice Policy Debaters Jerikko Agatep and Michael Greenbury advanced to the quarter final round while Andrew Botwin and Josh Samra advanced to the semi-final round. In individual events, Christiana Chen was a semi-finalist in Original Oratory. Throughout regional competition this semester, Clovis North Forensics has proved to be more than just fleeting nuisance to perennial powerhouses like Clovis East and Edison. The team placed 2nd in varsity sweepstakes behind Clovis East with dominant performances by Dolapo Sangokoya (1st place, Dramatic Interp), Shawn Samra (1st place, International Extemporaneous Speaking), Ritu Jayakrishnan (1st place, National Extemporaneous Speaking), and Naveen Heragu (1st place Original Advocacy). As the semester closed to an end, the debaters of Clovis North Forensics punctuated the season with an exclamation point by taking 1st place in Lincoln Douglas Debate sweepstakes, 2nd place in Policy Debate Sweepstakes and 2nd place overall. The team was led with powerful performances by Dalton Defendis and Kevin Brar (3rd place, Policy Debate) and Christiana Chen, who was the regional champion in Lincoln Douglas debate with a near perfect record of 11-1 through-out the semester.

Clovis North Forensics will begin the second semester at James Logan High School in Union City, CA to compete in one of the West Coast’s most competitive invitationals. They will be gearing up for the first of three Valley Championship tournaments beginning on January 30th at Buchanan.

Always A Patriot At Heart...

Last night the faculty club at Hoover High invited Chad back for their annual end-of year party. Even though he's been at Clovis North for a full year, they wanted to honor him with the "Patriot Award," which is given to faculty members who suffer (serve) more than 5 years. It was really fun to see Chad with his Hoover friends again. Several stood up to "roast" Chad, but overall there was an overwhelming show of appreciation and admiration for all that Chad accomplished during his years there: his rise from newbie student teacher to head of the English Department, his Valley Championship with the forensics team, his consecutive trips to the state and national forensics tournaments (what sports team can brag about that?), his engaging style of teaching, and his overall good nature. I can't tell you how PROUD I was to be sitting in that room hearing it!

While several other staff & faculty were also honored, the highlight of the night was, without a doubt, Chad's acceptance speech. There's no question as to why he's such a great speech teacher! It was a fantastic mixture of heartfelt and funny, and he kept us all laughing with his metaphorical tale of Joseph (Chad) from the beautiful land of Canaan (Clovis) being sold into Hebrew slavery in Egypt (Fresno Unified School District), and being a foreigner in the "hood" with his "coat of many colors" (aka Brooks Brothers sportcoat).

Despite the mediocre taco bar and watered-down drinks, it was a fun tribute to Chad and a reminder of how far he's come since getting that emergency credential in 1999 and all those late nights figuring out how to be a teacher. What a success story....makes me wish I could take his class! Enjoy the pictures of his hard-earned "Pate (Patriot) Award."

(Some things never change, though....it's the last week of school, and as of Tuesday night he had 90 [NINETY!] essays to grade by Friday!)

Busiest Month Ever?

Hello family and friends..... Here we roll out a blog for you all to keep up with our lives, and now we haven't even updated it in like 30 days! What's up with that?!

The better question might be what HASN'T been up? January has felt like the busiest month we can ever remember. Life just doesn't slow down....and we don't even have kids! Thankfully it was busy but GOOD!

For Chad, January was busy with speech and debate tournaments. In addition to taking 2 van-fuls of kids up to the Logan Invitational on January 16-18, the kids competed at the Valley Championship tournament in Bakersfield on January 31st. One of his students took first place in Dramatic Interpretation, and he already has a handful of students who have qualified to the State Tournament in April. January is notorious for being the busiest month in the speech and debate world! In addition to all that, research papers got turned in and grades were due....

For Sarah, January was busy with studying for the SPHR exam. SPHR stands for "Senior Professional in Human Resources." This is the premier professional designation for HR professionals, and I began studying the big, ugly textbook in October. I wasn't sure I had studied enough, and so I hit the books REALLY hard in January. I even went up to the Logan Invitational with Chad and spent 2 full days in the hotel room, by myself, studying and taking practice exams. I was so excited when I PASSED on January 28th! This exam has only a 57% pass rate -- it's a 4-hour test, 225 multiple-choice questions, choose the "best" answer, all related to strategic human resource management. The "added bonus" for me is that I skipped over the PHR exam and went straight for the senior-level designation. I couldn't feel any more relieved or accomplished -- this is my greatest professional achievement to date. And it's OVER!

Another highlight in January was a weekend visit from my dear friend Stacy (Becker) Coyle and her little boy, Ethan. Stacy, Jason, and Ethan live in the Phoenix area. Jason was away for a ski trip so Stacy and "E" came to Fresno to see me and our other friend Kimberly. The 3 of us have been best friends since the first day of college at Fresno Pacific. It was a crazy weekend; between the 2 of them they have 3 boys, all ages 4 and under. We kept saying to ourselves, "We can't believe this is US after all these years! Times have really changed!" Okay so I am the last one to get on the baby bandwagon... but I get good practice being an "Auntie" to these adorable kiddos.

While January was heavy on activity, it was unfortunately light on pictures! The only pics I caught were of Ethan with my camera phone. I've attached a few cute ones -- he's about 15 months old. Stay tuned for February updates!

A Very Busy Weekend!

This past weekend was a busy one! Not only did Chad have a debate tournament, he had to HOST it -- his first at Clovis North. Talk about MEGA planning & coordination.... those of you who've helped judge in the past know what an ordeal it can be. I can't possibly begin to explain all of the logistics involved but there were more than 200 students competing and about 100 parents, friends, students there to judge. In addition to running the competition, there's a snack bar for the kids and meals provided for the judges. We're grateful for the involvement of parents like Saba Hassid, who coordinated the snack bar and food for judges, allowing Chad to be free to attend to the competition. This is much different than Hoover! Next year we expect the event to run even more smoothly with even more parent involvement. I had every intention of taking some pictures to post but was not feeling well all day and was doing my best to just stay awake and helpful!

Chad's mom Barbara spent the whole day helping out at Clovis North and it was also her birthday - how's that for dedication? We're helping her celebrate later in the week.

On Sunday we enjoyed a delicious brunch at Copper River Country Club - Geoff (Chad's dad) treated all of the family in celebration of Toni's (Chad's stepmom's) birthday. It was great to see Toni's kids -- Michelle (& husband Kevin, kids Toby & Kyra) and Melissa (& daugher Michaela). Next stop....Christmas!

Educational Philosophy

I had to revise my educational philosophy for my interview with CUSD. Thought I'd share it!

In his famous speech titled “The American Scholar,” Emerson insightfully concluded that “Books are the best of things, well used; abused among the worst.” The question is begged, how can a book be well used? In today’s educational landscape where apathy towards reading remains a constant challenge and in direct competition with a litany of entertaining distractions, one might conclude that the mere act of reading books would satisfy Emerson’s criteria of “well used.” Not surprisingly, one of America’s greatest thinkers expected quite a bit more from the young scholars than to just read books. In fact, his greatest fear was that “meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given…” and never mindful that such thinkers were young men themselves who found it incumbent to create new ideas. Is our goal as educators to create bookworms? Those pasty, pathetic souls who stuff their minds with idle knowledge and then regurgitate it a few hours later on some meaningless exam, all for the empty flattery of an “A”? May it never be!

The goal of education is to have students think for themselves; to cultivate their minds; to bequeath to students the necessary tools to harvest that fruit of original genius after seasons of individual thought. What we should avoid at all costs is to shut our young scholars in the darkness of academia only for them to, as Emerson aptly put it, “come out at last with a bag of wind, a memory of words, and…not know a thing.” And perhaps that is the problem with the educational system in America: that in the haste to prove our children are proficient, we neglect to create original thinkers. After all, the problems of today (energy, regional conflict, poverty) will not be solved by those who have simply memorized the theories behind conflict resolution or electrical engineering, but by those who have been additionally equipped to apply those theories in practical applications.

Creating critical thinkers is essential to solving the problems of our emerging global community. And this perspective on the changing goals of education is essential when teaching students. If the goal of compulsory education in America was to create a citizenry who can participate in a national democracy (first envisioned by Jefferson), then public education has served its purpose. But that is no longer adequate. The challenges facing America have become intrinsically tied to the global community. As such, we as educators must be providing the future of America with the necessary tools to meet those challenges. Emerson’s prescient view reminds us that the problems of today won’t be solved by mere bookworms or “man thinking;” they will be solved by “thinking men.”

Chad Joined The Stampede -- GO BRONCOS!

For those of you who haven't "herd," it's official.... Chad is now an employee of Clovis Unified School District! This summer he was heavily recruited by Clovis North High School to start and build their forensic program (& also teach English, of course!). After 8 full years at Hoover, it was definitely time to move on to "greener pastures" and higher paychecks! The high school is part of the Clovis North Educational Center, which includes a junior high school that feeds into CNHS. The school opened in Fall 2007 and currently has only freshmen and sophomores enrolled. Here are some highlights of the new job and differences from Fresno Unified/Hoover:

--Brand new school and new classroom with the most current technology

--Kids who are EXCITED to learn and keep him on his toes!

--Parents who are involved in their kid's education and WANT to help

--Teachers who LOVE to teach and take their jobs seriously

--Awesome administrative staff!

--No union = no union dues

--100% paid benefits for employee & spouse

--$$ for the forensic program and for classroom supplies (at the new teacher reception he was presented with a check for $250 for initial classroom setup expenses!)

--He's teaching sophomores for the first time (new lesson plans)

--Teaching sophomores means no class-size reduction laws (40+ kids in some classes!)

--This year, forensics is held as a "club" after school, instead of a class period (less free time for grading all those essays)

--The opportunity to build a strong forensic program and create a legacy!

Some of you may remember Chad saying he wanted this job LAST year (after finishing 7 years at Hoover). It's been interesting to see how that 8th year at Hoover prepared him for all the responsibilities this new job requires -- it was like the icing on his cake of qualifications! We're excited to learn more about CUSD and get involved with the Clovis North community. Stay tuned for updates on this year's tournament season and how his team progresses toward the state & national tournaments!

What The Heck Is Forensics?

With the popularity of the CBS drama “CSI,” the term "forensics" has garnered attention in recent years. Although most Americans associate the term forensics with crime scene investigation, the actual definition is “communication of the past.” In the same way that a dead body communicates the facts and circumstances surrounding a death, high school students involved in forensics communicate facts using verbal and non-verbal communication. The National Forensic League (NFL) was established in 1925 and is the oldest academic honor society in the country. Founder Bruno E. Jacobs desired to have an organization that allowed students to speak and debate about current topics of the day. Eighty years later, the NFL continues to develop high school students into the leaders of tomorrow by offering national competition in four styles of debate and six speaking events.

The California High School Speech Association (CHSSA - state counterpart of the NFL) offers competition in speech and debate at the local level. They offer five styles of debate, including:

Policy Debate: A team event of two students that debates the merit of a legislative policy used by the federal government. 2008-09 resolution: Resolved that the United States Federal Government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.

Lincoln Douglas Debate: Fashioned after the 1858 senatorial debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, this one-on-one event has students debate over a value oriented position. November-December resolution: Resolved: In a democratic society, felons ought to retain the right to vote.

Public Forum Debate: A recent addition to the NFL that offers two teams the opportunity to debate over a resolution of community interest. Current year resolution: Resolved: The use of imminent domain is beneficial to society.

Student Congress: A mock congress where students offer speeches in affirmation or negation of proposed student legislation. Robert’s Rules of Order are utilized to keep order in the session.
Individually, students can participate in speaking events that range from persuasive, informative, unprepared and interpretative.

In addition to debate, there are twelve different speaking events offered by CHSSA:

Expository: 8-10 minute informative speech, written by the student, that allows for the use of Visual and Audio Aides.

Original Oratory: 8-10 minute original speech that attempts to persuade the audience; usually more philosophical in nature.

Original Advocacy: 8-10 minute persuasive speech that advocates for legislative change on the national or International level.

Original Prose and Poetry: 8-10 minute performance of an original script written by the student. Can be either humorous or dramatic.

Humorous Interpretation: 8-10 minute performance of a published script that is humorous in nature.

Dramatic Interpretation: 8-10 minute performance of a published script that is dramatic in nature.

Thematic Interpretation: 8-10 minute performance of 3-4 published scripts that revolve around a central theme.

Oratorical Interpretation: 8-10 minute performance of a famous speech given in front of an audience.

Duo Interpretation: 8-10 minute performance by two students of a published script. Can either be humorous or dramatic.

National Extemporaneous Speaking: Unprepared speech where a student is given a national current event and thirty minutes to prepare a seven minute speech. No notes are allowed.

International Extemporaneous Speaking: Unprepared speech where a student is given an international current event and thirty minutes to prepare a seven minute speech. No notes are allowed.

Impromptu Speaking: Unprepared speech where a student is given a topic and two minutes to prepare a five minute speech. One of four topics are used (Abstract, Current Events, Famous Quotes, Concrete objects).

Parliamentary Debate: An impromptu style debate where a team of two students are given one of three different resolutions: a resolution of Policy, a resolution of Value, a resolution of Fact, and twenty minutes to prepare their case.