So...

So far, the 2013-2014 school year has been going great.  First there was this:
Stage Directions Magazine (a magazine every middle and high school theatre dept. in the nation receive) named the Riverton High School Theatre Dept. one of the top five drama departments in the nation.  Here's the funny thing-  we don't really do a lot different then any other high school drama dept. in this state, but we are the first from Utah to be recognized by this magazine.
 Just to clarify (out of an hour long phone interview with the magazine publisher), I never said that I got to build the program from scratch-- I was at the school in 1999 because I student taught for the infamous (she knows why... the Eaton's and Moss family have secrets that extend far, far back.  Bradley and Jackie's double date?  There's a juicy story) and justly renowned Shawnda Moss.  I told the interviewer that I built up the MDT class from scratch... but whatever (know that I give full credit to Riverton's success to the fact that since 2000, there have always been 2 teachers here-  Shawnda, Bradley and Erin who I all love and respect) and I know for a fact that Utah has some of the best high school theatre teachers in the state- not just at Riverton.  Riverton started with a strong program and my goal is to not mess it up.  Whenever I attend the Broadway Teacher's Conference in NYC, I meet theatre teachers from all over the world- and we really do have some of the best in ALL AREAS of theatre here in Utah.
Then, in December, I was nominated by my administration (and won) the Utah High School Activities Theatre Teacher of the Year for the state of Utah.  This award is not given every year so yesterday (Jan. 15th) Jackie and I went to a country club, had a nice lunch, I got a nice plaque (too bad no $$) and, the biggest deal of all, Jackie actually ate carbs at the lunch- that's how special that afternoon was!  I then proceeded to drive back to the high school like a bat out of hell so that my Film 1 class could understand what is going on for their final project.
Then, I got called by KSL and this happened (not sure about all those quotes-  Millie and Ellis were screaming in the bathtub while I was being interviewed on the phone).
Now, because of both of these awards, our drama department is being considered by the Educational Theatre Association for a national Outstanding School Award because we are a Thespian school.
So, everyone that wrote letters of recommendation, thank you- and thank you RHS students, faculty, administration and especially Ms. Erin McGuire for everything you do for RHS Theatre!