The cost of awards

Over 20 years ago, I was given this plaque that still hangs on my office wall:

The inscription reads:

EMERGING LEADER AWARD

1991-1992

Presented to

Douglas A Johnson

FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN
THE LIBRARY MEDIA PROFESSION'

FROM THE
COMMERCIAL SPECIAL
INTEREST DEVISION OF

Minnesota Educational Media Organization

My friend and colleague Jane Prestebak (who received the same award that same year) and I joke about how those plaques bought MEMO thousands of hours of free labor from us over the next two decades. Very clever, MEMO. Guilt-induced labor is still labor.

So yesterday I received this at ISTE in Philadelphia:

So my suspicious nature asks if this is just a cheap ploy by ISTE to get a bunch more work out of me? Yes, ISTE, I will volunteer. You already got four years of board membership. Assistance writing ISTE Standards. Presentations at conferences. Articles in Leading & Learning. Leadership in the SIGMS group. You know I am easy - and a bit dim so I can be manipulated.

All kidding aside, I am honored and humbled to be given this award. I am in august company! Check the list of award winners over the past 20 years and you will recognize a lot of heavy hitters in education.

So thank you. I feel my professional work has been an award in and of itself. Each time someone thanks me for something I've presented or written is an award in and of itself. But this nice. It will make my mother proud and our district public relations director happy.

Photos from the luncheon:

Chicago school library director and friend Lisa Perez was kind enough to sit by me. Here is she is thinking back on getting her own Making IT Happen award a couple years ago.

A full house in a large banquet hall. Live band. Only an open bar could have made it better. Hint, hint.

Lovely tables. Vegetarian entree and cheesecake for dessert. No icecaps were melted creating this meal.

This was a very good day for Minnesotans. My library friend Laurie Conzemius won the award as well. (I think MN and PA were tied in award winners, two for two, but who was keeping track?) Library media specialists sort of ruled the event, getting lots of mentions and praise from none other than ISTE President Kecia Ray. Wow!

Anyway, ISTE, thank you. Let me know if you have a job for me.