Hi, Daniel, I snail-mailed a Xerox to you. How archaic, how simple, how effective! Thanksgiving with Friends for me, and I hope happy for you also. Alison (PS--I requested "friend" status.)

Dear Daniel, Your work was rich in love. I feel sorry that (as it sounds from your comments) you had to lay it down.... I'm sorry also that "The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education" is not online. The issue was 7/26/2004 pp 12-15. Had you already left the classroom then?

Dear Daniel, My favorite article every year was the Inspiration Award article. I got to talk with outstanding principals (and developed a tentative opinion that the principal is key--what do you think?) Many times the old principal had been pushed out by NCLB and a new one transformed the school for the better. But students have been pushed out of school in order to keep the averages high. And the approved teaching materials are sold by Bush cronies.... Do you think NCLB will be changed or abolished now? Alison

Dear Daniel Wilcox, Yes, Santa Maria High School won the College Board Inspiration Award in 2004 as one of the three high schools serving poor and minority students to achieve the best college-preparatory results. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw your residence because (with my late husband) I used to write for "The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education," and I wrote about it for the 7/26/04 issue, and I felt at the time I could have written twice as much because of the many programs that school offered. I gather you were a teacher: high school? middle school?
We often ask too much of ourselves, while the people we try to help respond to our spirit of concern more than to the actual results of our work. Don't beat yourself up. Leave that for others--and most of the time they won't bother, being too concerned with their own issues!
I've lived in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles, but never in Central California. I live in New Mexico now.
Your new friend, Alison