A new voice for change has emerged—not only within the school
but throughout Iowa, the United States, and the world. It is the
voice of the students.
Efaw,” and explained how she made
this connection by herself on Skype
and Facebook after reading about
the writer on the Van Meter Library
Voice blog.
Emma Durflinger, grade 5. She spoke
about her blog, We Talk.
Josh Porter, grade 11. He showed the
You Tube video “What Technology
Means to Me,” which he created for
a Facebook contest. He talked about
how his view of school and life has
changed thanks to the technology and
opportunities at Van Meter.
moment I was part of something very
special and that our young people were
ready to have a voice and be the leaders who are transforming education.
I wasn’t the only one who felt the
significance of that day. Sandra Dop,
who is a consultant of 21st Century
Skills at the Iowa Department of
Education, wrote in her blog, Next
Generation Schools:
Praise from Lawmakers
At the end of the presentation, one
of the legislators asked, “So what can
we do to get out of your way and let
you go?” I was completely moved to
hear those words. I had never been so
proud to be an educator. I knew at that
I witnessed history today. Several
Van Meter students presented to
members of the Iowa legislature.
They were poised, confident, ca-
pable, and young—some of them
very young. I sat there thinking
that one day we may be able to
point back to January 28, 2010,
and say it was the turning point—
the day a couple seventh graders
and a fifth grader swayed the Iowa
Legislature and forever changed
education as we know it. I know,
the high schoolers were impres-
sive too, but those representatives
and senators nearly fell off their
chairs when their superintendent
John Carver said “fifth grader.”
She demonstrated her blog on
things she and her friends are
reading. When the legislators
asked, “So what can we do to get
out of your way and let you go?”
I nearly cried. I will forever be
proud to have witnessed it!
