Shirley Readdean (2017)

2017 Outstanding Graduate Award Winner

I cannot say that I had a specific moment of motivation to become a teacher. My initial career path was nursing, I became a registered nurse when I was 23yrs old. I taught Sunday School and loved it. My career change came when my husband decided to become a nurse, graduated, and began working at Veteran’s hospital. By this time we had twin daughters and it became quite clear that if we wanted to parent without outside assistance one of us needed to find another field of work. At this time there was a teacher certification program in NY State. The program called for a bit of hoop jumping, but with the assistance of School District administrators I was able to begin to work in a Pre-K program at Hamilton School. Later I became a part of the Schenectady Open School staff.

After the strike in the late 70’s I decided to seek other employment opportunities andworked for Albany BOCES as a Coordinator of a Career Internship Program for highschool students. I was very concerned about Schenectady School District after thestrike, there was quite a bit of turmoil, I decided to run for School Board, amazing Ibecame the first African American woman to sit on that Board. I then became President.There was an African American male who was the Human Relations Coordinator for theDistrict. Al Parker and I did a lot of behind the scenes work to advocate for blackstudents. I served six years on the Board and decided that was enough time. I amamazed at the changed atmosphere in the school district. There seems to be a lack ofrespect for teachers. I also do not believe that students have very much self- respect.I would advise young people to have a sense of pride and a focus on getting a goodeducation in whatever they the feel a calling for, the choice needs to be personal.