Vickie Leigh Baughan Dodson, Career Changer, Educator

Received this recommendation for Vickie Dodson:

“Vickie Leigh Baughan Dodson, JMU class 1990, used her accounting degree in the private sector until 2003. Then through the Career Changers program, she began two years of classes to acquire her teaching certificate. Since then, Vickie taught math and pre-algebra two years in Louisa County before transferring to Hanover County in the fall of 2006. Within two months, she was selected “Teacher of the Month for 7th Graders”. Her love of teaching and of children is incredible. Her students are eager to learn as Vickie makes learning fun. Even at games, it is fun to watch the boys on her son’s 12-year old baseball team pose math questions to her and they banter back and forth with solutions.

On June 7 at the Liberty Middle School assembly where Vickie teaches seventh grade math and pre-algebra, she received the Liberty Light award. Students wrote essays about the teacher who had “most changed their life”. Vickie received multiple nominations and the winning essay was about Vickie. What a wonderful recognition for a job well done. This is just her first year the in Hanover School System, third in all, and I can only imagine the impact she will have on young students as she continues her career in education.

Vickie’s talents for teaching, one child at a time, make her a splendid nominee for “Be the Change” and I respectfully request consideration to her nomination. Thank you. Barbara Dodson (proud mother-in-law)

heard about Patricia Southall Smith

We received an update on JMU alumna Pat Smith:

“Pat was part of a strong African-American contingent at JMU in the early 1990s and served as Student Government Association President. She was also involved in a leadership group on campus. Her mother died of breast cancer while she was a senior, but her strong support network at JMU saw her through and she graduated on-time. She worked for Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder after graduating. Her first marriage to actor Martin Lawrence ended in divorce. She is now married to Emmitt Smith and lives in Dallas. She is currently active in running the Pat and Emmitt Smith Foundation, which focuses attention and resources on creating opportunities for disadvantaged youth. Pat is passionate about this issue!”–from Sally Boucher, JMU

Erin Peacock’s (‘07) making a difference

We received a nomination to Be the Change for Erin Peacock (‘07) who is “making a difference by teaching in the Bronx, New York, in the Teach for America program. Erin says of her opportunity, “Just being able to do something that’s not for myself — doing something for other people. I want experience with that.” Way to go, Erin!

Read more at:
Star-Exponent.com’s “An Apple for teacher”.

Pamela Peterson Drake nominated

Stephanie McAllister and Ryan Houldsa nominated Pamela Drake for Be the Change.

Here are some of the comments we received: She gives “the best of help whichever way possible in her career to encourage others and making decision-making a lot easier,” including creating her own Web site to assist in that effort. “She is a role model to those who have come into contact with her, very open-minded and realistic, confident and assertive, reliable and responsible and very focused,” and “She is a great woman!”

Kai Degner on JMU campus Sept. 5

Madison World Changer Kai Degner will be on JMU’s campus on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007, to deliver an Honors Program Brown-Bag Talk “Building Community Within and Beyond.” Kai, who launched the OrangeBand Initiative, is now executive director of the Arts Council of the Valley.

Visit the OrangeBand Web site at:
http://www.orangeband.org/

Read Kai’s “Be the Change” profile at:
http://www.jmu.edu/bethechange/degner.shtml

Sarita Hartz partnering with Grace Akallo on Zion Project!

I received a note from Madison World Changer Sarita Hartz with exciting news. She says, “I just recently developed a friendship and partnership with Grace Akallo who is a former girl child soldier from Uganda who has just co-authored a book with Faith Mcdonnell (an expert on uganda) called Girl Soldier. Grace has even been on Oprah and has spoken before US Congress on the issue of child soldiers. She is doing marketing right now for the book but her dream is to give back to girls just like her——so we are partnering on Zion Project. I’m so excited about it!”

Great news! It would be exciting to have the two make an appearance on the JMU campus to talk about this incredible humanitarian effort!

David LaMotte–pursuing peace

David’s life is taking a turn…he’s applied for a Rotary World Peace Fellowship. He admits that after graduating he had to make a choice between several careers — music or peacemaking. After achieving a successful music career David says, “Now it seems like it’s time to turn my focus back to my other passion.”

Wishing you the best, David!

Read more on his Web site’s “Notes From the Road”
http://www.davidlamotte.com/nfr/nfr.html