►
From YouTube: Celebrate Life: Ellen Baker
Description
From Gary De Carolis:
5 words that describe Ellen: Compassionate, Deeply Caring, Energetic, Unselfish, Wise
Ellen was born and lived in New York City, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in psychology. She spent her childhood in an apartment that she shared with parents, Sam and Ida, and her brother, Michael. Many Sundays were spent with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Ellen's career as an elementary school teacher began in a public school in the South Bronx. She then taught in a day-care center in a low income housing project.
In 1971, Ellen moved to Vermont where she taught in Sharon, Northfield and finally Berlin, Vermont. She received her Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Gifted and Talented Education. After 35 years in the public school classroom, Ellen became the Director of Educator Licensure Programs at the University of Vermont where she worked with aspiring teachers for 15 years. Ellen has two sons, two stepsons, four daughter in laws, and five grandchildren. She lives with her husband Eddie in the New North End of Burlington, Vermont.
After 50 years in the field of education, Ellen recently retired and hopes to travel with her husband and spend more time with family.
2/10/2023
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A
Welcome
to
another
show
of
Celebrate
life,
my
name
is
Gary
D,
Carlos
and
I'll
be
your
host.
Today,
this
show
is
dedicated
to
the
wonderful
and
amazing
lives
of
people
in
all
stations
of
life.
I'm,
a
firm
believer
that
everyone
has
a
story
to
tell
I'm,
also
a
firm
believer
that
I'd
rather
hear
your
story
when
you're
very
much
alive
and
well
and
thriving
than
to
read
it
in
an
obituary.
So
this
show
is
about
just
that
telling
people
telling
their
wonderful
stories
while
they're
very
much
an
active
participant
in
our
communities.
A
A
B
I'm,
a
New,
York,
City
girl
I,
grew
up
in
Manhattan
in
a
housing
development
called
Stuyvesant
Town,
which,
if
anybody
knows
anything
about
New,
York
City
part
of
it
lives
right
on
the
East
River
and
when
I
was
a
little
girl.
I,
remember
looking
out
my
window
at
the
East
River
and
seeing
all
these
big
Cruise
Ships
coming
in,
and
they
often
lit
up
my
entire
room
and
made
all
kinds
of
noise,
but
it
was
exciting.
B
So
I
grew
up
in
Manhattan
I
went
to
public
school
in
Manhattan.
There
were
no
school
buses,
so
we
walked
when
I
was
little.
You
know,
I
was
driven,
but
we
basically
walked
to
school
in
some
very
interesting
neighborhoods,
so
it
was
challenging
at
times,
and
there
was
also
no
lunch
room,
so
we
either
had
to
bring
our
lunch
or
go
home.
So
most
of
the
time
I
would
go
home
basically
eat
my
lunch
in
10
minutes
and
then
walk
back
to
school.
B
B
You
know
kind
of
into
a
a
middle
school,
but
then
they
changed
it
as
I
was
in
school,
so
I
went
to
a
junior
high
school
in
another
part
of
the
city
which
I
also
walked
to.
But
at
that
point
and
I
think
this
is
really
kind
of
funny.
But
at
that
point-
and
it
was
a
long
time
ago-
I
remember
that
pizza
was
25
cents,
a
slice
and
a
soda
was
25
cents
and
an
ice
cream
was
25
cents.
B
So
my
parents
would
give
me
a
dollar
and
I
would
have
two
pieces
of
pizza,
a
soda
and
ice
cream
for
lunch
every
day,
which
was
great,
so
Junior
High
School.
We
had
also
had
something
in
New
York
called
special
progress
SP
and
if
you
qualified
with
your
grades,
you
actually
skipped
seventh
grade.
So
I
skipped
seventh
grade
and
did
just
eighth
grade
was
seven
eight,
which
meant
that
I
was
really
young.
B
When
I
entered
High,
School
and
I
I
entered
High
School,
which
was
pretty
far
away,
it
was
actually
down
near
where
the
Twin
Towers
used
to
be
and
I
would,
and
there
was
no
school
buses.
So
I
took
public
transportation
and
went
to
this
school.
This
school
was
a
really
a
challenge.
There
were
a
lot
of
black
and
brown
students
there
and-
and
they
were
also
those
of
us
that
came
from
Stuyvesant
Town,
who
were
predominantly
white,
and
so
there
were
gangs.
B
There
were
gangs
that
for
from
different
ethnic
groups-
and
they
weren't
particularly
happy
with
us,
because
they
saw
US
divers
in
town
as
kind
of
an
elite
community
so
I
it
was
a
little
bit
frightening
for
the
first
two
years
of
high
school,
my
family
decided
that
it
was
too
frightening
and
we
actually
moved
it
was.
My
mother
was
very
nervous
about
it.
She
didn't
do
well
with
change,
but
my
father
said:
nope,
don't
want
my
beautiful
daughter
going
to
this
high
school
anymore,
so
we
moved
to
Queens
when
I
completed.
B
A
A
B
Actually,
I
still
have
never
been
to
the
Statue
of
Liberty.
Can
you
imagine
coming
from
New
York,
but
I
did
I
did
go
to
the
Empire
State
Building,
often
because
my
father
worked
in
the
Empire
State
Building
on
the
24th
floor,
and
so
once
you
were
on
34th
Street
there
was.
There
was
a
lot
of
hustle
and
bustle
I
used
to
at
the
time
that
I
lived
in
New
York
City,
it
was
pretty
safe,
and
so
we
walked
through
all
kinds
of
the
Bowery
and
all
kinds
of
neighborhoods
museums.
B
No,
we
didn't
do
that.
My
family
really
wasn't
my
parents
just
weren't
interested
in
that
kind
of
thing
we
spent
most.
What
we
really
did
was
we
spent
most
of
the
time
with
my
extended
family
I
did
go
to
the
Bronx
Zoo
all
the
time,
because
my
grandparents
lived
across
the
street
from
it
nice
and
so
my
grandpa
used
to
take
us
to
the
Bronx
Zoo
I
knew
where
every
animal
cage
was
and
I
knew
the
Bronx
Zoo,
like
the
back
of
my
hand,
which
was
really
great
wow.
B
So
I
finally
went
to
the
Twin
Towers
when
I
got
older
and
I
became
a
dancer
with
my
husband
and
we
danced
at
the
at
the
top
of
the
tower.
Oh,
my
goodness.
Yes,
we
did.
There
was
a
ballroom
there.
It
was
an
amazing
world,
wow
yeah
yeah,
that
was
fun,
so
I
ended
up
doing
a
lot
of
the
museums
when
my
children
got
older
and
I
would
take
them
down
to
visit.
My
my
parents
and
I
would
take
them
to
museums
and
to
Ringling
Brothers
and
Barnum
and
Bailey
Circus.
A
B
It's
interesting
I
was
very,
very
kind
of
directed
I
I
when
I
went
to
elementary
school.
It
was
a
very
traditional
because
that's
how
schools
were
then.
When
we
went
to
school
all
the
desks
were
in
a
row
and
everybody
opened
up
their
math
book
to
page
55
and
everybody
did
the
same
thing.
We
didn't
talk
to
each
other.
You
know
you're
not
allowed
to
talk
to
anybody.
B
Next
to
you,
you
had
to
do
your
own
work,
but
when
I
got
to
fourth
grade
I
had
the
teacher
who
was
my
inspiration
and
I,
never
veered
from
that
career
goal.
Mrs
Silverman
I.
Remember
her
I,
remember
what
she
looks
like
she
was
amazing.
She
had
us
at
tables.
Instead
of
desks.
She
had
a
few
Cooperative
projects.
She
had
a
stand
and
give
verbal
book
reports.
She
invited
guests
in.
She
took
us
on
field
trips
and
I
thought
to
myself.
B
A
B
Know
I
had
a
friend
in
junior
high
school,
who
was
deaf
and
at
that
point
you
know
I
kind
of
forgot
since
then,
but
I
was
really
pretty
proficient
in
American
Sign
Language
and
what
that
did
for
me
was
to
help
me
to
understand
how
important
it
was
to
address
All
Children's
needs
and
to
make
sure
that
all
children
receive
the
education
that
they
needed.
I
also
had
several
friends
who
had
learning
disabilities
and,
of
course,
at
that
time
they
didn't
really
do
a
lot
about
it.
B
But
now,
of
course,
special
education
is
blossoming
and
there
are
lots
of
wonderful
programs
and
I
think
what
happened
for
me
living
in
Manhattan
and
going
to
a
school
where
there
was
poverty
and
different
ethnicities
and
lots
of
diversity
and
then
also
having
friends
who
had
challenges
of
different
types.
It's
it.
It
kind
of
helped
me
to
realize
what
kind
of
teacher
I
wanted
to
be.
A
B
Okay,
so
I
graduated
from
high
school
and
unfortunately
in
my
family,
the
belief
and
and
philosophy
was
that
it
wasn't
important
for
girls
to
get
an
education
because
they
were
eventually
going
to
get
married
and
be
taken.
Care
of
and
I
was
pretty
spunky
and
I
said
to
my
parents,
as
you
well
know,
I
said
to
my
parents:
I
understand
what
you're
saying
and
I
understand.
You
don't
have
money
to
send
me
to
an
out
of
town
college
and
they
didn't
really
didn't
want
to
I
said.
B
But
I'm
going
to
put
myself
from
school,
I
want
to
be
a
teacher.
I
want
to
have
a
career,
and
so
I
worked
at
various
clothing
stores
and
other
places.
I
babysat
I
was
a
counselor
over
the
summer
and
I
was
really
good
about
I.
Had
this
bank
account
and
I
saved
and
saved
and
saved
and
I
ended
up
going
to
City
College
the
Queens,
because
I
lived
in
Queens
at
that
time.
The
Queen's
campus
and
you
know
the
city
college.
B
The
tuition
was
really
pretty
reasonable
and
you
know
they
so
I
got
some
scholarships,
some
financial
aid
and
what
I
basically
did
was
I
got
on
the
bus
drove
that
went
right
past
my
high
school
and
very
soon
after
that
was
my
college
campus.
So
I
lived
at
home,
I
went
to
school.
I
worked
all
through
college.
To
continue
to
do
it.
I
was
a
first
generation
college
student,
yeah
and
and
I
went
to
Queens,
College
and
I.
There
is
a
funny
story
about
Queen's
College.
There
was
this
you'll
love
this.
B
There
was
this
guy.
There
was
a
big
wall
that
it
was
just
decorated
and
we
all
sat
on
the
wall
in
between
classes.
It
was
just
this
big
wall
and
there
was
this
kid
that
was
always
sitting
on
the
wall
playing
the
guitar
and
I
thought
to
myself.
Does
he
ever
go
to
classes?
Who
is
he?
It
turned
out
that
it
was
Paul
Paul
Simon
from
Simon
and
Garfunkel.
A
A
B
A
B
B
B
The
way
the
Holocaust
impacted
me
was
my
family
did
not
have
a
lot
of
money
at
all,
but
my
parents
saved
up
enough
money
for
us
to
go
to
the
Catskills
every
summer,
because
it's
so
hot
in
New
York,
the
the
place,
the
housing
project
that
we
lived
in
was
not
wired
for
air
conditioning.
We
couldn't
have
air
conditioning
and
they
wanted
to
get
us
my
brother
and
I
out
and
themselves
out
of
the
city.
So
we
used
to
go
to
the
Catskills.
B
My
dad
would
work
and
then
drive
up
for
the
weekends
and
we
would
stay
in
this
little
Bungalow.
We
used
to
call
them,
I
know
up
in
Vermont,
they
call
them
camps,
but
it
was
like
a
small,
very
small
place
and
we
stayed
there
and
we
went
for
years
and
I
ended
up
having
very
very
dear
friends
from
all
over,
but
there
was
somehow
this
place
was
divided
into
sections.
It
was
the
people
on
the
hill,
the
people
in
the
valley,
and
then
there
was
a
section
called
the
refugees
and
I.
B
B
And
the
only
other
thing
was
when
I
was
married.
The
first
time
my
husband,
my
ex-husband's
sister,
was
married
to
a
man
who
who
whose
parents
were
in
the
camps
and
were
Holocaust
Survivors
so
and
he
is
very
adamant,
a
very
kind
of
angry.
You
know
a
son
of
Holocaust
Survivors,
so
that's
kind
of
it's
more
impactful
to
me
now,
I've
read
many
many
books.
A
A
B
Interesting
teaching
job
in
New,
York
City.
What
happened?
What
happened?
Is
there
there's
a
a
New
York
state
license
and
a
New
York
City
license,
so
I
got
a
New
York
state
license,
but
in
order
to
receive
a
New
York
City
License
I
had
to
accept
the
assignment
that
they
gave
me
the
school
that
they
gave
me.
I
did
not
go
out
and
interview,
they
said
you
are
teaching
in
the
South
Bronx
and
good
luck.
B
B
They
didn't
do
anything
digitally
at
that
time.
It
was
just
this
metal
thing
that
you
carried
into
your
classroom
and
I
had
18
students,
none
of
whom
were
white,
all
were
black
and
brown,
and
at
that
time
also
they
classified
students
and
classrooms
by
by
exponents.
So
if
you
had
the
class
that
was
five
one,
then
you
had
the
most
academically
proficient
students
and
it
went
down
from
there.
So
they
handed
me
my
box
and
I
had
class
5
11..
A
B
I
came
out,
20
years
old,
with
all
these
wonderful
ideas
of
things
that
I
was
going
to
do
that.
I
learned
and
I
got
to
my
classroom
and
it
was
like
whoa.
You
know
these
kids,
some
of
the
Spanish
kids
barely
spoke
English.
Some
of
the
kids
barely
could
read.
Some
of
them
were
enormous.
They
had
been
left
back
and
my
classroom
was
not
even
in
the
building.
It
was
a
concert
Hut
in
the
yard.
B
The
school
was
so
overcrowded
that
they
bought
these
leftover,
Surplus
Quonset
Huts
from
the
Army
or
something
so
I
had
this
I
was
in
this
metal.
Basically,
this
metal
box.
With
these
fifth
graders,
we
didn't
have
a
bathroom.
So
every
time
somebody
wanted
to
go
to
the
bathroom
they
had
to
go
to
the
main
building
I
was
told
to
keep
my
door
locked
because
there
were
things
that
you
know
roamed
around
the
neighborhood
anyway.
B
I
did
that
for
two
years
it
was
very
hard
because
what
I
realized
was
that
I
did
not
understand
these
students.
I
didn't
understand
their
life
circumstances,
I
didn't
understand
where
they
came
from
I,
didn't
understand
and
in
order
to
really
teach
well,
you
have
to
have
relationships
with
your
students
and
I
tried,
but
it
was
really
hard
for
me,
as
a
middle
class
white
woman,
to
understand
what
these
students
were
going
through.
They
were
a
lot
of
what
we
called
latchkey
kids,
who
went.
B
B
Little
it
was,
it
was
so
amazing
when
I
look
back
now,
I
think
to
myself.
I
could
go
back
there
now
boy
could
I
do
a
great
job,
because
I
know
so
much
more
and
I'm
so
different
in
my
Approach.
The
principal
would
come
by
every
once
in
a
while,
and
we
had
staff
meetings
once
a
month,
but
it
was
all
about.
You
know
what
they
should
serve
in
the
lunchroom
I
mean
it
really
I
didn't
know.
I
didn't
get
a
lot
of
support
at
all
wow.
It
was
rough.
B
That
was
an
interesting
experience
as
well,
because
all
of
the
students
were
students
of
color.
All
the
parents
were
of
color.
All
the
teachers
were
of
color
I
was
the
only
white
person
who
worked
there
and
it
was
I
saw
what
discrimination
looked
like,
because
during
the
time
of
the
Black
Panthers-
and
you
know,
of
all
the
of
the
Africa
and
it
the
students
loved
me
and
they
decided
to
have
long
hair.
They
touched
my
hair
because
it
was
straight,
you
know
and
they
loved
it
and
they
were
kindergarteners.
They
didn't
care.
B
A
A
B
A
B
Well,
there's
a
lot
of
kinds
of
fun
things
that
you
can
do.
You
know
little
projects
where
they
do
illustrations
of
things
they're
good
at
you
know.
I
would
have
things
like
that
or
have
them
do
I
used
to
have
them
each
do
like
a
square
with
their
name
and
pictures
of
their
family
and
places
they've
been
and
things
they
like
and
things
they
think
they're
good
at
and
I
would
put
all
the
squares
together
and
make
it
like
a
quilt.
You
know
and
say
that
we
are.
B
You
know
this
is
a
quilt
of
who
we
are,
and
so
it's
a
lot
of
observation.
It's
a
lot
of
you
know
having
morning
meetings
and
talking
to
the
students
you
know
having
them
share
about
their
life
and
if
you're
lucky
and
you
meet
any
of
the
parents,
you
know
if
you
have
an
open
house
and
any
of
the
parents
come.
You
know,
there's
a
lot
of
things
that
you
can
say
what
what
would
you
like
for
your
child?
B
A
B
B
Wow
we
had
a
Jeep,
we
went
into
the
woods
cut
down,
the
trees
took
off
the
bark
and
then
his
crew
would
come
in
and
kind
of
Stack
the
you
know
the
logs,
because
they
knew
what
to
do
they'd,
notched
them
and
stacked
them,
and
then
we
had
to
learn
how
to
do
The
Wire
your
laugh
in
between
and
then
we
put,
the
you
know,
cement
stuff,
and
then
we
put
creosote
on
the
outside.
So
the
critters
wouldn't
eat
our
house
and
we
had
this
and
we
had
a
beautiful
Log
Cabin
that
was
built
gradually.
B
So
we
lived
in
a
leaned
to
during
the
summer.
Then
we
lived
in
the
basement
until
the
house
was,
you
know,
ready
to
for
us
to
be
inside
I
heard
floors,
I
stained
I
did
whatever
I
could
do
with
the
little
expertise
that
I
had.
We
had
a
big
stone,
fireplace
it's
a
beautiful,
beautiful
house,
so
I
lived
there
for
a
number
of
years
in
Sharon
Vermont
in
a
in
a
Schoolhouse
that
had
three
classrooms
and
60
children.
That
was
a
no.
B
It
was
a
one
two,
three
four
five
six
I
taught
the
three
four
and
then
I
moved
to
Montpelier
and
I
started
teaching
in
Northfield.
For
a
few
years,
then
I
went
to
Berlin,
which
is
where
I
finished.
My
career
I
worked
in
Berlin
for
28
years,
but
the
majority
of
my
time
was
spent
teaching,
third
and
fourth
grade.
B
A
B
B
A
B
B
Had
speakers
come
in
and
different
people
and
gave
them
enrichment,
and
so
that
was
very
important
to
me
and
so
I
created
a
gifted
and
talented
coordinator
for
the
Berlin
for
that
Berlin
school,
which
I
did
for
a
while
and
then
it
it
they.
We
lost
our
funding
and
I
decided
that
I
had
been
in
the
classroom.
Many
years
and
I
wanted
to
leave
the
classroom
when
I
when
I
still
was
upright
and
happy
and
had
you
know,
had
a
decent
reputation.
B
You
know
yeah,
so
I
decided
to
send
my
resume
to
the
University
of
Vermont
thinking.
Well,
you
know,
I
can
retire
and
maybe
I
can
work
part-time
at
the
University
of
Vermont.
Oh,
maybe
because
I
had
a
lot
of
student
teachers
in
my
classrooms,
I
hosted
a
lot
of
student
teachers
and
I
mentored
them
and
I
thought
I
did
that
for
what
15
years,
maybe
and
I
thought,
wouldn't
it
be
great
to
be
a
supervisor
for
student
teachers?
Maybe
I
could
just
do
that
part
time
at
UVM.
A
B
They
got
my
resume
called
me
and
said
we
need
you,
never
mind
this
part-time
stuff.
We
need
you.
We
need
you
to
come
here,
because
we
want
you
to
coordinate
the
elementary
Ed
program.
You
have
a
lot
of
connections
in
the
state.
You've
been
in
the
field,
and
this
is
the
kind
of
person
we
want
to
work
with
Elementary
ed
students,
so
they
hired
me
and-
and
that
was
15
years
ago
and
I
started
out
as
the
program
coordinator
for
the
elementary
Ed
program,
I
taught
a
lot
of
the
courses.
B
I
worked
in
the
field
and
then
the
dean
who
was
there
at
the
time
thought
she
wanted
to
create
a
different
position
called
director
of
educator
licensure.
So,
instead
of
just
working
with
Elementary,
Ed
I
ended
up
working
with
all
the
programs
and
all
the
students
and
helped
them.
You
know
to
obtain
their
license.
I
still
taught
because
I
said
to
her
I'll,
be
the
director
but
I'm
not
giving
up
teaching
I,
don't
want.
B
I
didn't
come
here
to
be
an
administrator,
so
I
continued
to
teach
the
course
that
I
taught
for
the
seniors,
but
I
ended
up
working
with
the
agency
of
Education
working
with
Early
Childhood
middle
secondary
PE,
art
music,
all
of
the
special
ed
and
I
and
I
helped
them
to
to
successfully
complete
their
program
and
then
get
their
license.
That's.
A
B
So
when
my
kids
were
young,
I
didn't
have
my
children
in
New
York,
but
when
I
got
to
Vermont
and
when
I
had
my
kids,
I
only
took
I
didn't
take
very
much
time
off.
I
took
a
year
off
with
my
first
son
and
I
took
five
months
off
with
my
second
son
because
they
begged
me
to
come
back.
They
couldn't
find
anybody
to
take
my
place
whatever,
but
when
my
kids
were
young,
I
thought
you
know.
B
A
good
thing
for
me
to
do
would
be
to
see
if
I
could
work
in
a
in
a
camp.
So
I
did
for
several
years,
while
they
were
young.
I
worked
in
Sleepaway
camps
as
director
or
assistant
director,
and
we
ended
up
living
at
the
camp.
Getting
room
and
board
and
my
kids
went
for
free,
and
so
they
had
something
to
do
over
the
summer
and
I
earned
a
little
bit
of
money,
not
much,
but
it
didn't
matter.
B
You
know
we
got
all
our
food,
we
got
a
place
to
live
and
the
kids
had
a
ball.
So
we
went
one
year
was
a
horseback
riding
camp.
Another
year
was
an
archery
Camp.
Another
year
was
just
a
general
Camp,
so
I
did
that
for
a
number
of
years
and
then
gosh,
you
know
like
Gary
I'm,
trying
to
think
what
else
I
did
I
think
I
had
little
jobs
here
and
there.
A
B
As
they
got
older,
I
needed
to
be
around
to
drive
them
to
camp
and
to
do
this
and
to
that
that
place
played
Sports,
it's
like
really
and
they
didn't
want
to
go
to
sleep
away
camp
anymore.
They
wanted
to
be
with
their
friends.
So
I
did
you
know
various
little
things
so
just
to
keep
myself
busy
and
yeah,
but
I
spent
a
lot
of
time,
Trucking
them
Around,
Here,
There
and
Everywhere
I'm.
B
So
after
after
I
got
divorced,
I
spent
a
lot
of
time
in
the
gym,
because
I
needed
to
you
know
make
sure
I
took
care
of
myself
and
had
all
this
excess
energy
and
one
of
the
and
I
used
to
take
a
step,
aerobics
class
and
the
step
aerobics
instructor
said
you
know
what
would
be
fun.
I
want
to
take
you
to
Stowe
because
they
have
a
line
dancing
night
on
Wednesday
nights
where
they
play
country
music
and
they
do
line
dancing
and
I
thought.
Well,
that's
fun!
B
It
was
like
this
Smoky
cool,
they
were
playing
jazz.
It
was
just
like
a
really
cool
place
and
they
were
doing
this
dance
called
West,
Coast
Swing,
which
is
just
it's
not
swing.
Where
you
know
the
guy
throws
the
woman
around,
because
there
was
no
way
we
could
handle
that.
But
it
was
just
this
very
you
know
just
really
cool
dance.
That
was
that
just
then
they
were
dancing
to
this
incredible
music
and
we
said:
okay,
we're
gonna,
learn
this
dance.
B
That's
it
we're
gonna,
give
up
the
whole
country
scene
and
we're
gonna
learn
this
dance,
and
so
we
bought
a
whole
bunch
of
tapes
and
kind
of
self-taught
ourselves,
and
then
we
met
oh
this
instructor.
Her
name
has
slipped
my
mind.
I
can
see
her
anyway.
She
said
why
don't
you
go
to
some
of
these
dance
events
and
learn
more
about
this
dance,
and
so
we
did.
We
started
going
away
on
weekends.
B
We
started
taking
private
lessons
and
we
fell
in
love
with
the
dance
community
and
we
fell
in
love
with
the
dance
and
we
got
pretty
good
at
it,
and
so
we
moved
our
way
up
from
beginners
to
intermediates
and
we
took
private
lessons
with
all
these
like
National
instructors
and
they
were
so
cool
and
then
we
would
at
the
weekends
we
would
take
dance
classes
and
privates
during
the
day.
Then
we
would
take
a
nap
and
get
up
and
start
dancing
at
10
o'clock
at
night
until
like
two
or
three
in
the
morning.
B
Honestly,
it
was
great,
it's
amazing.
We
had
a
ball
and
then
at
the
end
of
that
dance
career,
we
choreographed
a
routine
ourselves
and
we
perform
it.
We
performed
it
at
one
of
the
dance
events
which
people
do.
You
know
you
enter
these
these
events
and
we
perform
together
in
front
of
500
people
in
a
ballroom.
B
B
B
You
grew
up
yep.
Isn't
that
funny
wow
exactly
what
we
did?
It's
driving
me
crazy.
That
I
can't
remember
that
instructor's
name
I
can
see
her,
but
she
was
the
one
who
kind
of
said
you
know
if
you
want
to
learn
more
about.
This
is
what
you
have
to
do.
So
we
spent
years
going
to
these
dance
events
and
we
actually
entered
some
things
called
Jack
and
Jill's
and
other
we
have
metals
and
little
trophies
and
things
like
that,
and
it
was.
We
still
keep
in
touch
with
some
of
our
instructors.
A
B
So
I
have
it's
interesting,
because
it's
a
pretty
male
dominated
family
that
I
have
I,
have
two
children,
Jeremy
and
Nate
Jeremy
is
49.,
Nate
is
44.,
Jeremy
has
two
children
Gracie,
who
just
turned
five
and
Jayden.
Who
is
two
and
a
half?
Nate
has
two
boys
Carter
who
is
15
and
Gavin?
Who
is
12.
and
then,
when
Eddie
and
I
got
married
he
has
two
sons.
So
when
we
were
combining
our
families,
we
we
had
four
sons
and.
A
B
Boys,
you
know
came
home
from
college.
It
was
quite
interesting,
so
Eddie
has
two
sons:
Jed,
oh
help
me
with
ages.
I
think
Jed
might
be
43
and
Josie
is
41,
but
that
may
not
be
totally
accurate
but
they're
in
their
40s
early
40s
Jed
just
got
married
last
April
up
here
in
Vermont
and
Josie
lives
in
California
and
has
our
other
grandson
Cassidy.
Who
is
seven
well
nice
and
they
all
do
very
interesting
work.
B
B
Nate
is
an
entrepreneur
and
owns
five
restaurants
old
one.
He
had
a
Chinese
Japanese
restaurant
in
Lake
George,
which
I
believe
is
sold.
He
has
one
in
Killington
and
he
has
one
in
Stowe
and
then
he
also
has
a
bike
shop
which
also
serves
food
in
Stow.
So
he
has
that
yeah
I
know:
Jed
works
for
an
online
insurance
company
and
Josie
has
Josie
Baker
bread,
which
he
bakes
bread
in
California
very
successful,
and
he
has
he's
in
like
a
coffee
shop.
B
You
know,
California
is
full
of
coffee
shops
and
he
does
a
bread
and
pastry
thing
and
also
has
written
books
and
has
been
on
TV
shows
about
his
baking,
goodness
yeah,
so
they're,
they're,
they're,
they're,
they're,
all
very
interesting
and
extremely
different.
The
personalities
are
very
different,
so
it's
it's
interesting
when
they
all
get
there.
A
B
You
know
people
who
had
did
research
and
you
know
had
been
in
the
university
for
years
and
I.
Had
this
I
have
this
one
friend
Charlie
who's,
just
like
so
down
to
earth,
and
he
was
there.
I
also
had
met
him
years
and
years
back
when
I
did
some
work
for
the
state
of
Vermont
for
education,
but
so
I
know
him
a
long
time
and
when
I
first
came,
my
name
was
different
than
when
he
first
met
me
and
so
when
they,
when
I
came
into
the
hallway.
A
A
B
It's
me,
but
anyway
we
would
go
to
meetings
and
they
would
be
using
all
these
acronyms
and
talking
about
things
and
I
was
like
sitting
next
to
Charlie,
saying
Charlie.
Can
you
translate?
What
does
that
mean?
What
does
this
mean?
And
you
know
he
was
great
and
he
finally
came
into
my
office
one
day
and
he
said
Ellen
I
believe
in
you
and
those
words
I
believe
in
you
were
very
similar
to
how
I
was
as
a
teacher.
B
Yesterday
the
one
I
used
to
teach-
and
the
professor
said
please
come
in
they're,
so
nervous
and
I
know
you
have
a
way
of
making
them
feel
better.
So
I
went
in
and
I
I
talked
with
them
and
you
know
we
did
a
little
activity
and
I
said
just
you
know
believe
in
yourself,
because
you
know
we
believe
in
you.
You
can
do
this.
You
can
do
this,
so
I
think
I
believe
in
you.
You
can
do
this.
B
Helped
me
in
my
professional
life
in
my
personal
life,
I,
don't
know
if
you're
familiar
with
the
book,
The
Four
Agreements
by
Don,
Miguel,
Ruiz,
yep
yep,
those
four
green
and
I
keep
the
book
under
my
bed
and
every
once
in
a
while
when
I'm
feeling
like
I,
look
need
to
look
at
the
agreements
and
I've
read
some
of
his
other
books
too,
and
some
of
his
son's
books
but
I
I,
Believe,
In,
The,
Four
Agreements
be
impeccable
with
your
word.
Don't
make
assumptions
always
do
your
best.
B
B
There
are
times
when
things
are
really
challenging
in
your
life
and
I.
Just
think.
It's
important
that
you're.
True
to
your
word,
you
know
that
you
don't
make
assumptions
about
if
people
are
saying
things
to
you,
it
may
be
because
they're
experiencing
something
may
not
have
anything
to
do
with
you.
You
know.
Don't
make
assumptions
that
anything
is
going
to
be
a
certain
way
because
you
never
know
and
then
just
always
do
your
best
and.
A
B
What's
next
is
Eddie
and
I
really
do
want
to
travel,
we
I
and-
and
we
together
have
been
very
fortunate
I
get
when
I
was
younger.
I
I
didn't
go
on
an
airplane
until
I
was
40
years
old
I
mean
my
parent.
We
didn't
have
we
TR,
we
drove
wherever
we
were
going.
There
was
no
airplane
trips
anywhere
and
so
I
started
traveling
late
in
life,
I
I
have
been
to
Japan
with
a
group
of
teachers.
B
I
did
a
professional
development
for
teachers
in
Thailand,
Eddie
and
I
have
been
to
Mexico
and
Puerto
Rico
and
Italy
and
I
our
goal
really,
and
we
go
to
Canada
lots
too,
because
it's
so
close
our
goal
really
in
the
next.
You
know
number
of
years,
while
we
can
is
to
travel
as
much
as
possible
to
you
know
many
different
types
of
places
to
do
many
different
types
of
things:
we're
thinking
about
Portugal,
we're
thinking
about
Croatia.
B
B
So
we're
hoping
to
do
those
things
and
I
think
there
are
some
things
in
this
country
that
I'd
like
to
see
I
mean
I,
did
travel
across
I
traveled
across
country
in
1969,
in
a
Volkswagen
Beetle
with
a
cat
and
I
went
all
the
way
across
country,
but
I
didn't
get
a
chance
to
stay
in
too
many
places.
I
I
did
see
the
Grand
Tetons
and
Crater
Lake
and
the
the
Rockies
but
I
I,
really
there's
a
lot
of
national
parks.
I've
never
been
to
and
Eddie.
A
B
B
Going
to
be
a
lot
about
traveling
spending
as
much
time
with
kids
and
grandkids
as
we
possibly
can,
reading
relaxing
yeah
there's
a
lot.
There's
some
crafts
that
I'd
like
to
get
back
into
I,
do
make
some
jewelry
and
I'd
like
to
do
pottery
and
then
I'm
thinking
about
the
type
of
volunteer
work
that
I
might
like
to
do.
I'm
not
sure.
A
B
A
B
B
A
B
A
B
B
B
A
B
My
goodness
I
have
cards,
I
have
saved
cards
from
elementary
students
from
college
students.
I
have
a
little
glass
thing
that
says
best
advisor
something
like
that.
A
little
apple
shaped
glass
thing
and
I
have
many
many.
You
know
just
personal
accolades
from
students
that
could
go
on
and
on
about
how
you
know
they
couldn't
make
it
through.
They
never
would
have
gotten
their
license.
B
B
Totally
yeah
I
have
it's
funny
I,
my
my
son
and
daughter-in-law
were
out
of
town.
They
do
some
work
in
Kinshasa
in
the
Congo
and
I
took
Gracie.
My
five-year-old
to
her
friend's
birthday
party
and
the
birthday
party
was
in
South,
Burlington
and
I
walked
in
and
one
of
my
former
students
was
there
was
there
with
her
five-year-old
daughter
at
this
birthday
party.
She
came
running
over
to
me
and
gave
me
a
big
hug
and
said
Ellen.
Oh
my
God
and
I'm
a
teacher
now
and
she
went
on.
B
A
A
B
I
guess
I
guess:
I
would
like
to
end
with
having
worked
with.
You
know,
young
students
and
then
college
students
I
think
that
it's
important
to
follow
your
dreams
to
do
what
you
really
want
to
do
to
advocate
for
yourself,
when
you
need
to
to
believe
in
yourself
and
have
faith
in
your
abilities
and
to
just
enjoy
life
and
have
a
great
time
and
laugh.
You
know
and
and
get
out
in
the
sunshine
when
there
is
any
in
Vermont.