Connect, Collaborate, Create- CUE 2016

Not only was it my first time at CUE it was my first time presenting as well....yikes!

My first experience with CUE kicked off on Thursday morning in the most perfect way, listening to keynote speaker, Brad Montague, the creator of Kid President. During his 45 minute speech I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I started craving a corndog, I got the urge to donate all of my socks, I laughed again and then I cried again...and this was all before 10am. Brad really set the tone for my expectations of my CUE weekend and left me feeling hopeful that change is moving through our education system. At the end of the keynote I decided to take Brad's advice and "Treat everybody like it's their birthday" this weekend, little did I know that the other 6,000 attendees decided to do the same!

                                                                   My first CUE badge! 

Brad Montague-Keynote Speaker March 17, 2016

My first day was by far my most memorable because I, yes me, yes My (sorry, I couldn't help myself), presented on the BIG stage in Oasis 4 with four of the most incredible women! We had the opportunity to listen to so many teachers share their stories about their students, about what they do in their classroom, about problems they see facing girls in STEAM education and most importantly about what they are DOING about the problem and brainstorming solutions!

Rebecca, Anne, Kristy and DeJuana the main stage!! 

So honored to work with such amazing humans

Answer Garden word cloud from the audience about why girls ways 

we can encourage girls to be empowered. 

The rest of the weekend was filled with lots of learning, exploring, and socializing, I mean collaborating ;) I learned new tools for movie making and media use, new apps and applications for media and photography, learned ways to encourage and develop healthier school cultures, learned about Google maps and its applications in the classroom, learned about the importance of getting girls to code,  and last but not least I learned about blogging (this is my first official blog post as an educator).

Learning to use our phones as a lens to see

the world. Giving students the chance to be creative and expressive.

Tom Murray showing us why education needs innovated leaders. 

As the weekend comes to an end. I am left feeling rejuvenated and inspired. I have been in the presence of educators who share my love of children and see the full potential that kids have, and I know great things are going to happen. I connected, I collaborated and I created.