Newly formed Book Club (Name to be decided) First book: Firefly Lane Seated in chair: Betty Winder Age: 50 Education: B.S. in Education from Stephen F. Austin University Occupation: Teaches Senior English Two daughters: One recently married (yea!!!) and one in college (Senior … yea!!!) From left to right: Omega Wied Age: 56 Education: BS in Elementary Education, Lamar University; MEd in Special Education, Lamar University Occupation: Educational Diagnostician Married to Norman, a high school woodshop teacher, two daughters ages 23 and 21 Carol Rogers Age: 57 Education: BS in Biology from Southwest Texas State; MS in Science Curriuculum and Instruction from University of Houston Occupation: Deptartment Head of Science and teaches AP Biology and Anatomy Married to Rod an electrician with one son, Jeremy who is married to Misty grandchildren Avery and Sterling Susan Tanner Age: 51 Occupation: Homemaker Education: Accounting degree from the University of Oklahoma Married with 3 children, one son-in-law, one daughter-in-law and one grand-dog! Beth Brockman Age: 55 Occupation: Favorite one is homemaking! Taught 7 years, part-time church secretary 20 years Education: MEd Reading Specialist ; Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas; BS in Education from David Lipscomb University, Nashville Married for 31 years to a Life Insurance consultant, two great boys, one married, one single, both gainfully employed ?! Roxanne Dyess Age: 51 Education: BS in Education from Baylor University (1979) Occupation: Teaches Senior English Married to an attorney. One daughter, age 24 Paula Taylor Age: 45 Education: B.S. Texas A&M University Occupation: High School teacher, 13 years; currently teaching Psychology, AP Psychology, and Sociology Married almost 25 years (wow!); 2 sons in college Not pictured: Nicole Holmes Age: 27 Education: BA in Bioligy from the University of Texas Occupation: Taught at High School for 3 years and am now a stay at home mom. Married for 5 years and have a 2 ? year old daughter

My plans for fall may be getting sorted out and this application is just one part in the process. Last week, I came up with the idea of adding global studies to my degree, which means I'll be getting a bachelor's in Liberal Studies with emphases in psychology and global studies. While the thought of another quarter and more loans stresses me out beyond measure, the prospect of taking more classes and expanding my understanding of this world makes me willing to deal with any financial repercussions I may face later on (it also helps that they won't really have to be faced for another year). With adding global studies, I think it's a good idea to spend educational time, not just vacation time in other countries and as I've been learning about the Israel-Palestine conflict, I've felt really frustrated by what's going on there. Not just frustrated, I'm appalled by the obscene amounts of human rights violations taking place in full view of the world while the U.S. shuts its eyes and want to do whatever is within my means to help bring peace and justice to both countries. I've found an organization called Interfaith Peace Builders, that sends delegations of people, mainly from the U.S., to both Israel and Palestine to see the situation from the ground through the perspective of the people who are actually living through it. After the delegation, participants are committed to speaking about what they learned and experienced in their communities in hopes of getting more people involved and working for a peaceful resolution. I haven't finished the application yet, but if all goes as hoped, I'll be a part of the delegation going over in November. If you're the praying type, I hope you'll pray for me...if you're not the praying type, I'm more than grateful for some good thoughts :)