Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship

I am in Washington D.C. as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow.  I had thought about applying for a couple of years, but the timing was not right.  This year all of my children were married with families of their own, so I completed the lengthy application in January, not really confident that I had a chance.  In February I got an email telling me I was in the top 50 applicants.  Whoa, I might really get this.  In March, I was flown to Washington D.C. for the interview process.  A whirlwind three days.    I had not told anyone about the interview except my very good friend at school.  I went home to wait.  Two weeks later, I received the much awaited phone call offering me a position at the National Science Foundation in the Division of Computer Science and Pathways to Revitalizing Undergraduate Computing Education.  After that, things have happened very quickly.

 I have a one year leave of absence from my school, Frank Church High School.  During a week long trip to D.C. to attend the 2010 20th Anniversary Einstein Fellows Summit and find housing, after walking upteen miles, I signed a lease for a great apartment right on Capitol Hill.  I have moved all of my belongings, except for 13 boxes that I shipped to D.C., to a storage unit and rented out my house, got in my car and drove to our nation's capital.

This is where I will be working for the next 11 months.  My office is on the 11th floor.