By Far the BEST EXPERIENCE...

I recently attended the Discovery Educator Network's Summer Institute in Burlington, Vermont.  There is nothing that could have prepared me for what I was going to experience.  From the moment I arrived I was greeted by smiles and warm welcomes.  Prior to leaving for DENSI I was unsure if I really wanted to go because I was going alone.  I found out very quickly that I was among many individuals "newbies" who were feeling the exact same way.   Within the first few minutes of arriving, Dacia had grabbed my bags and was taking me to my room.  Along the way she introduced me to so many people.  I was overwhelmed by all of the names and faces and I knew that there was no way that I was going to remember any of them.  I am pretty sure that Dacia could see my eyes spinning, she assured me that I was going to have the best time of my life and not to worry about a thing.   She introduced me to my suite mates, Deb and Patti who were both as equally amazing and filled me with a ton more of information.
Once everyone had checked in there was an opening BBQ.  This was an amazing way to get to know and connect with others.  That was the great thing about this experience, there were so many opportunities to force you to meet and speak with people and there was no way that you would be left out of anything.  I of course took it to a whole other level and found it necessary to fall in order to make it easier to make those connections.
The week packed full of amazing activities and sessions.   I had a really hard time choosing what sessions I wanted to attend because I wanted to go to them all.  AND when I was not in a session, I was trying to listen in to all of the conversations going on around me so that I could catch everything.  I never wanted to leave, the institute was full of such amazing and talented people who were all interested and consumed with the same things that I was.  All these individuals have the same beliefs as I do and they want to share.  The dedication and spirit of everyone at DENSI shone through and it was because of their love for their students and the love of teaching.
Not only did I have a chance to meet the most amazing people ever but I was also introduces to the best PLN.  I learned everyday that I was at DENSI and I find that I am glued to twitter during the day to continue to learn new ways to engage my students.
Porter Palmer and everyone who helped plan this week deserve a huge bouquet of flowers.  The week blew any expectations that I had out of the water.   It was by far the best learning experience that I have every had.  Thank you to everyone who attended and who is a part of the DEN and bring JOY to students everywhere.