What are Fireflies?

Each year the Learning Institute for Technology Education (LITE) seeks out educators who have provided leadership in the field of Technology Education. Each year outstanding leaders are recognized at a Leadership Luncheon on the Saturday of LITE’s annual meeting.

The dedicated individuals who have made a difference in the lives of students and other professionals are listed below. Criteria for these outstanding Technology Educators include:
·  Statewide leadership (conference presenter/speaker, Committee work, or writing team member)
·  Professional development (workshops or classes taught- for other educators)
·  Sharing information (developing lessons for colleagues, writing articles in professional journals or writing books for students.)

  

 

Who are these Fireflies?

  
Dan Anderson: Northview High School
Amy Balog: Bloomfield Hills Middle
Charles Basset: Spring Lake High School
Dave Berdish: Ford EFHD
Kathleen Betrus: Lincoln Consolidated Schools
Georgia Bingham: Novi Meadows Elementary
Al Birkholz: Bloomfield Hills Middle
David Blatt: Wixom Elementary
Kathy Bodine: Franklin Elementary
Lynne Boes: Bloomfield Hills Middle School
Robert Boyer: Churchill High School
Greg Briggs: Wylie Middle School
Linda Bryant: Grand View Elementary
Peggy Byars: Fowlerville Community Schools
Phillip Cardon: Eastern Michigan University
Keith Caterino: Kelloggsville Middle School
Sue Charron: Kreeger Elementary
David Cole U of M - Transport Research Institute
Julie Cook: West Elementary
Grace Damerow: Fowlerville Community Schools
Amy DeYoung: West Elementary
Doug Dodd: Greenville Middle School
Robert Engler: Byron Center Middle School
Demaris Farah: Oakland Schools
Laurie Ford: Munn Middle School
Diane Frank: Wood Creek Elementary
Sue Galayda: Conant Elementary
Dr. Roberta Glaser: St. Johns Public Schools
Linda: Goldin: LITE Layout Editor
Charles Gosdzinski: Dondero High School
Linda Gostomski: Coolridge Intermediate
Gary Graff: Scarlett Middle School
Dan Graham: East Grand Rapids High School
Kathy Gregory: Central Woodlands School
Carol Griffin: Kreeger Elementary
Liz: Guzniczak: University Hills Elementary
Larry Hand: Forest Hills Northern High School
Carol Haworth: Webber Elementary
Al Henrion: Pinconning Area Schools
David Hood: Concord Community Schools
Kathy Hopper: Spring Mills Elementary
Jean Innes: University Hills Elementary
Jerry Jennings: Home
John Kaminska: Clague Middle School
Sharon Keller: Commerce Elementary
Tom King: East Lansing High School
Michael Klann: AberdeenTech Math Academy
Michael Klavon: Holland High School
Lyn Kmiec: Pembroke Elementary
Louisa Kniivila: Hiller Elementary
Diane Kosuda: Brooklands Elementary
Dale Kropf: Fairview Elementary
 Mozell Lange: Mich Dept of Ed
Laura LaPointe: Munn Middle School
Sheila Larson: Fowlerville Community Schools
Dr. James Levande: MI Dept of Ed Consultant
Dr. Alastair Livesey: Ovshinsky Science Lectures
Franzie: Loepp: Center for Math/ Science Tech
Lee Ann Lowery: Spring Mills Elementary
Barbara Lyndrup: Byron Center High School
Lyla Martin: Challenger Elementary
Jim Mayer: North Middle School
Keri McQueen: Webber Elementary
Bill Meeuwsen: Zeeland High School
David Miller: Home
Judith Miller: Pattengill Middle School
Kit Moran: Lincoln High School
Laura Morrisson: Aberdeen Tech Math Academy
Ron Mulka: Lincoln High School
Chris Nielsen: Vicksburg Middle School
Carol Nordby: Lincoln Consolidated Schools
Joe Nuzzo: Lincoln High School
Don O'Connor: Hanover-Horton High School
Tom Ochs: Petosky High School
Tom Ogle: Warner Middle School
Sharon Oliver-Merchant: Brace Lederle Elementary
Matt Pagnani: Bloomfield Hills Middle School
Jim Partridge: Summerfield Schools
Pat Pillot: Harding Elementary
John Prisciandaro: Covington Middle School
Deb Riolo: Kent Career Tech Center
Judy Ross: Pine Tree Elementary
Mary Anne Ryan: Kenowa Hills Middle School
Ernie Savage: Bowling Green University
Lee Schaude: Great Lakes Training Systems
Vicky Shaw: Gill Elementary
Dr. Naomi Stasak: Brewster Elementary
Sharon Staton: H.T. Smith Elementary
Howard Stob: Aberdeen Tech Math Academy
Ron Strater: Thornapple Kellogg High School
Christine Strevel: Aberdeen Tech Math Academy
Douglas Sullivan: Ottawa Area I.S.D.
Laura Sullivan: Douglas Elementary
Marsha Teater: Challenger Elementary
Mary Tiell: Wixom Elementary
Don Tippin: Stockbridge Middle School
Barbara: Todd: Aberdeen Tech Math Academy
Karla Uhrig: Kent Career Tech Center
Dorothy Van Looy: Michigan Dept. of Education
Charles Vaughn: Otto Middle School
Colleen Verch: Pierce Elementary
Larry Wallace: Hudsonville High School
Pat Ward: Coolidge Intermediate
Helen Weil: Sandburg Elementary
Robert Westcott: Redner Elementary
Tracy Westra: Woodside Elementary
Ken Whitcomb: Byron Center High School
Linda Williams: Otto Middle School
Dennis Zaleski: Farmington High School
   

The Legend of the Firefly (PowerPoint)

The Legend of the Firefly (the Real Story...)

Once upon a time..in a faraway place (Oakland County), there was a Tech Ed Consultant. He sold his old house and moved to a brand new subdivision. When it came time to move... he enlisted the help of his nearby friends and Tech Ed colleagues. They loaded the rental truck... and drove it to the new house.

The truck’s power lift really helped make the work easier. They worked all day ... and into the darkness. When at last the lift ceased to lift, the truck’s batteries were dead (all 6). Unfortunately... in their zeal to complete their mission, a warning sign had gone unheeded.

“CAUTION: NEVER OPERATE POWER LIFT WITHOUT ENGINE RUNNING”

Hoping the driveway incline would be enough to jump start this (diesel) truck, they rolled the truck forward.

Push! Arrr!

They now found themselves stuck in the middle of the road, engulfed in the complete darkness of this newly developed subdivision.

Desperate to jump start the truck but unable to see which battery terminal was which, they pondered their predicament. “Where are the flashlights?”

“Packed.”
“Oh.”

They considered the Systems Model. The problem was clear. Were they overlooking any resources?

INPUT
PROCESS
OUTPUT
FEEDBACK

In a flash it came to them... A nearby light source had not been tapped. Really!

A firefly.

Quickly enlisted, the firefly shed enough light to see the truck battery.
“Negative!” Jeff (oh, I mean the Tech Ed Consultant) shouted joyfully. And from that day to this...

the firefly will be a symbol of

tenacity,
innovation,
ingenuity and
resourcefulness

among all Technology Education professionals.