93 Years Young

On December 23, 1930, a sparkling brown-eyed little girl was born in Fort Worth, Texas. She was named Martha Jennine Rogers and was the darling niece of her mother’s 10 siblings. As life would sometimes go, her parents divorced when she was 9 years old. And while divorce wasn’t common then, her mother was a good single mom, providing for them with a career tailor-made for her – sales – as she could talk with anyone about anything. Little Martha was happy to stay with her aunts and uncles during the school year and to travel with her mother during the summer. She had an amazing time traveling through the U.S., visiting 33 statesmostly by train. She was the youngest solo traveler on American Airlines at age 11 in 1942, and the photograph commemorating this shows a happy, seasoned traveler. Her eagerness to meet people and learn about every city and state she visited impacted how she raised her children. Whenever travel was to occur, she wrote to Chambers of Commerce and City Travel Bureaus (no internet!) and then planned the itinerary for the vacations. And as a participant of these trips, it impressed upon my learning capabilities many things such as researching thoroughly, planning ahead, preparing for any possibilities, and enjoying the moments as they happened.

As a Board member for the Forney Education Foundation, I serve on the Grant Committee. And I look for those elements in the applications of the teacher-requested grants that are submitted. When the teachers have really done their research, it demonstrates how much in-depth thought they have given to make the classroom experience better for their students.

Since the calendar is soon turning to the New Year, the Board members of FEF are already planning all of the events for 2024. Would you like to be in on the next schedule of events? Please go to www.forneyisdfoundation. org and plan your calendar. And as Jenni Ford (little Martha) would say, look forward, do your research, secure your reservations, and enjoy the moment!