I pointed out that it was our first year and that
I was proud of the fact that they had made it to
final match at State.
That afternoon was the awards ceremony. Not
knowing what to expect, Isaac, Albert, and I got
into our suits and had a seat in the audience.
As the ceremony unfolded, the categories were
called out, along with the schools that had
qualified in the top 5. As the announcer called
Robotics, we waited to hear the names of the
teams that beat us. To our surprise, they called
“Sunnyside High School!” Isaac and Albert
were floored.
They looked at me, and I said, “Well, go up and
get your trophy.”
They went up on stage, and were awarded 2nd
place in State. The pride they felt lit their faces
and could be seen miles away. I ran up to take a
picture, and we headed back to the hotel room
to pack up and leave.
As we were leaving, the director asked me if we
were going to the national competition. “I have
no idea,” I said. “Do we qualify to go?”
“That is up to your district,” said Mr. Short.
When we went back to school the next
Monday, I approached my CTE director about
the national competition. She agreed with me
that since the students made it in the top 5 at
State that they should be allowed to compete
at the national competition in late June. I
requested an audience with the school board
for recognition and to request to travel. Not
only did the school board approve our request
to compete at nationals, they offered to pay for
two-thirds of the cost!
Graduation came, and Isaac walked across that
stage. As he shook my hand, and thanked me
for all the help I had been, I reminded him that
we still had nationals coming up. “I’ll be in
tomorrow to work on the robot,” Isaac said.
36
“Take some time off and enjoy your graduation,
you earned it” I replied. That was Friday.
Monday came, and as the first bell rang, Isaac
came in the door with a visitor’s badge on and
a smile on his face. Every day that next week
Isaac and Albert worked tirelessly to improve
their robot, hone their driving skills, and
perfect their programming.
Then came that last week in June. Isaac, Albert,
and I got on a plane in Seattle and flew to
Nashville to compete. The national competition
was overwhelming, with more than 4,000
students attending and competing.
Isaac and Albert competed, and we saw some
amazing things. Even though Isaac and Albert
did not place at nationals, we flew home proud
to have had the opportunity. That was three
years ago.
This year, I watched Albert cross that stage
and graduate. Although we ended our season
that first year not placing at nationals, Albert
pressed on and competed in robotics and
aerospace engineering for next three years with
me. Every year, Albert was able to get on that
stage at State and travel to compete at nationals.
We never brought home a national trophy, but
that pride never went away.
Albert started his journey with me as a student
whom many of his teachers had warned me
about. As the years progressed, Albert made
those connections to his math and science
classes, and began to excel in them.
When Albert crossed that stage at graduation,
he had earned a full scholarship to Columbia
Basin College for welding technologies through
the Governor’s Scholarship Program. He has
promised to come by and help out when we
host our first competition this year in October.
Isaac had come to me in my math class,
having struggled with algebra the year before.
In my algebra class, Isaac flourished, and I
2015 Washington State Teacher of the Year • From Seed to Apple