 The 2015 NEA member benefits award for teaching excellence goes to and I have an envelope I've always wanted to do this. The award goes to Terry Butts. I dropped my speech somewhere between here and there. Thank you so much. This really wasn't supposed to happen but it did and I'm so grateful I there are so many people to thank of course Bank of America and Horace Mann and the NEA member benefits folks and so many others that made all of this possible I of course need to thank the South Carolina Education Association for all of their support and Jackie Hicks our former president who believed in me and nominated me for this most prestigious award I thank my colleagues and my my children and my families back in Richland School District 2 in Columbia South Carolina they really helped to mold and shape me into the person and the teacher that I am today and of course I have to thank my family I thank my children Dana and Cameron who are the most amazing and outstanding adults today I thank them for letting me be a mom to so many children throughout these 20 years and I have to thank my husband Edward who is my most biggest supporter and he calls himself my personal assistant I could not be where I am today without the support that I have of my husband for the last 31 years thank you Edward and I say to all of my my teacher colleagues out there I was listening to an Ed talk by Rita Pearson and she said that every child needs a champion and it's up to us to be that champion thank you so much