Top 11 in 2011

This post is in the spirit of my post from last year: My Top 10 in 2010. Last year was such an incredible year, and when I wrote that post, I had high hopes that 2011 would be even better, but I honestly could not imagine how the year could be topped. Well, I was right to have high hopes because this year has been even more amazing!

Here’s my top 11 in 2011

11.

Last year, I started “running”. I did several races including 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons. This year, I continued running, and in March, I had a personal best half marathon race. I finished in 3:00:40 – just 41 seconds over my goal time of under three hours. I also ran the Peachtree Road Race on July 4, 2011 – the world’s largest 10K race. I ran with my sister, and it was a great run.

I also started working out regularly and going to boot camp. I was very diligent with that through the first half of the year. Unfortunately, I got a bit lazy once August rolled around, but I’ve jumped back in it, and I’m happily working out and running several days a week! My next half marathon is April 22, 2012, and I am already in training mode.

10.

One of my goals was to blog more here. I did really well with this – at least the first half of the year. I participated in the Kick Start Your Blogging Challenge through Teacher Challenge, and that really got me motivated to blog. I did great for a while, but then I backed off again. No worries, I will keep reaching towards my goals of blogging more!

9.

NASA Georgia STEM Day. This was a one day conference at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, GA. I found out about it at the last minute and talked two of my colleagues into going with me. It was such a great way to start out January. It invigorated me, and gave me lots of great ideas. We also received some pretty awesome swag. You can see my post about it here. I am planning to go again this year on January 28.

8.

International Observe the Moon Night. I heard about this from a colleague I met on Twitter. She sent me information about a kit that our media center could receive if we committed to having an event. I immediately spoke with my principal, he was on board, and we applied for the kit and started planning. We did receive the kit – which included Celestron Skymaster 20×80 binoculars and a tripod as well as books and other fun things, and also planned all of the activities for the evening. We had the Atlanta Astronomy Club come out and set up telescopes, we had the Starlab Portable Planetarium from Chattahoochee Nature Center, the lunar sample disc from NASA, activities, and refreshments.

On October 8, the evening of our event, it was cloudy, but we hoped it would clear for the evening. It didn’t, we weren’t able to see anything with the telescopes, but that didn’t keep people from coming out. We had around 125 people of all ages attend. It was a great turn out considering it was a three-day weekend. Everyone had a lot of fun, and we are planning to make this an annual event!

7.

I had the distinct honor of being named my school’s Teacher of the Year in September. This was such an amazing distinction. If anything, it makes me want to do an even better job with my students. Through the process, I was also named a semifinalist in my county’s teacher of the year awards. My county employs over 11,000 teachers, and I was chosen as one of the top 25! This is such an honor.

6.

I applied in September to become a NASA Solar System Ambassador. I really wanted to do this after attending Space Academy this summer. I found out recently I was accepted for 2012. I cannot wait to share the love of space with my community!

5.

I flew in a Cessna with the pilot and one other passenger as part of Civil Air Patrol’s Top Flight program. I have never been in such a small plane, and it was so different from a jet flight. It is definitely an experience I will never forget!

4.

One year ago on December 31, 2010 I submitted my application to attend Honeywell’s Educators at Space Academy program. In March, I found out I was accepted, and in June I attended and had one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I always wanted to go to space camp, so it was truly a dream come true. I was a part of the amazing Team Columbus, and we had so much fun. Plus, to make it even more amazing, I was chosen as my team’s Right Stuff Award recipient meaning I know have a space camp scholarship for a student! For more on this amazing time check this out.

3.

I was in Florida for the final launch of Atlantis, and I stayed in town for a few extra days in hopes of seeing the SRB return. I was able to see both the left and the right SRB return to port, but the highlight was watching the second of the SRB’s move through the locks. I have never been so close to an SRB in my life! Amazing!

2.

These last two are hard to differentiate! I applied to attend the #NASATweetup for the Mars Science Laboratory over Thanksgiving week. Well, initially I was placed on the wait list, and then I moved to the standby list. I was beginning to think it was not to be when one week before launch a spot opened up for me! I was excited to be able to go to this tweetup to see an unmanned rocket launch sending the next rover to Mars. Besides learning loads about Mars and Curiosity rover, I also met Bill Nye the Science Guy and astronaut Doug Wheelock! My students think I’m pretty cool for having met Bill Nye!

1.

I think this ultimately had to be in the number one spot. I had the privilege to be at the press site for the final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis – the final flight of the shuttle program. I still cannot believe this chapter in space exploration has closed. It was my second shuttle launch, and it was just an amazing as the first one I attended.