A Day Well Spent

I wanted to share some photos and thoughts about my day yesterday; I was able to spend time on two areas I care very deeply about: community colleges and military families.

 

In the morning I traveled with the President to Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York. As I told the students and teachers I met there, I felt right at home. Today I’m already back in my own community college classroom teaching English. President Obama and I toured several high-tech classrooms and spoke with students who are working on transformers and other emerging technologies to meet the workforce needs of their region. President Obama is making an historic commitment to higher education and brining more and more students to colleges like Hudson Valley. I was truly proud to introduce our President and be a part of yesterday’s visit.

 

After leaving the college, I went on to the headquarters of the New York National Guard in Albany. I spent several hours there meeting with New York National Guard soldiers, family members of deployed soldiers, and professionals who support the Guard with their Family Program services. I was heartened to learn more about the New York National Guard’s reintegration programs and the critical ways the Guard is working to support our soldiers and their families before, during and after deployments. As a military mom this is personal to me – and I hope to do as much as I can to raise awareness of the special challenges that Guard members and their families face. Every state has a National Guard – and every National Guard relies heavily on volunteers. Maybe today you could consider reaching out to your state Guard to see if you can offer to help? I know you won’t regret it.

-Jill