Being honored as one of Tech & Learning magazine's Leaders of the Year is much more than just an individual honor to me. It is a recognition of how supportive my district has been of my work and the amazing team I get to work with on a daily basis. Being a great leader means putting people in positions where they are most likely to be successful. It means taking risks when it's for the betterment of student learning in the long run. It means knowing when to change course and listen to the advice of others and at times not making the most popular decisions. Ultimately, for me, it means inspiring other educators and leaders to push the envelope of learning and not let public education die a slow death. What this honor gives me is more than any tangible award could ever give. It gives me a little louder voice in that fight. The dedication that the team at T&L has for giving educators a voice is powerful and something I'll never take for granted. Thank you Judy, Kevin, Allison, Ellen, Christine, Jared, Diana and all the rest of the crew at Tech & Learning for recognizing my work and for giving myself and all of us in education a chance to be heard. It is truly an honor! ~Carl Hooker, Director of Instructional Technology, Eanes Independent School District:
