River of Words: For Educators

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Teacher of the Year 2000
Acceptance Speech given in Washington, DC, April 29, 2000

Pamela Segers
Avondale Estates High School
Avondale Estates, Georgia

When I first learned of the “ River of Words “ contest, it was from a student who had seen a poster advertisement and brought it in [to the classroom]. This is important because if Angela Giles, last year’s grand prize winner, had not brought the opportunity to my attention, I would not be here to accept this award. It is also important because the situation indicates the nature of my students at Avondale High School, as well as the students across this great nation. They are thirsty for a chance to experience the aspects of life. One of these aspects is the idea of a river. Making people aware of our environment is an important issue in today’s society.

By participating in this contest, students develop their creativity and gain a better awareness of their environment. More specifically, they learn the impact of water and how its presence or, in some cases, its absence, can directly and indirectly affect their lives. The” River of Words “ gives students a way to express that awareness in a unique and creative way.

The students honored here today have truly worked hard at developing their creative abilities. Creativity is, believed by many, a gift given to a chosen few. I believe creativity is indeed a divine gift, but one that has been given to us all. Anyone and everyone can be creative. Everyone can be more creative than he or she is currently. That is because each of us possess creative abilities that can be exercised and strengthened, just like our physical abilities.

Psychologists have discovered that creative ability is distributed more or less equally among all of us. The difference in creativity solely depends on how effectively each individual uses his or her inner resources. To be more creative, all you need to do is to flex and exercise your creative muscles. Children are widely recognized as being more creative than adults. One reason is that muscles, physical or mental, atrophy with disuse. The child in us grows old and much of our natural creativity is ignored or repressed.

So, I challenge the youth in this room today. Do not allow your creative muscles to be repressed. The “ River of Words “ contest offers a wonderful opportunity for a creative workout. You will have to workout in order to improve your creativity and the only doors closed in your path are the ones you fail to open. You can be anything or do anything that you set your mind to do, although you won’t be able to do it alone or without a good workout.

—Pamela Segers

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