As chairperson of  Tyrone High's English Department, I'm proud that my alma mater is Blair County's only National Blue Ribbon High School. I collaborate with a creative and caring cadre of teachers who embrace the mission to be role models, to engage students, and to treat them as if they were our own--because in a genuine sense, they are.  An '87 Penn State grad, I've been in Tyrone classrooms for a small part of at least six decades.  While my career has not asked me to travel far, the classroom has offered endless opportunities to travel deep and wide as students develop into thoughtful writers. As I wear a lot of coaching hats, the strategies I employ in class evoke the imagery of coaching, starting with a patient-but-let's-get-cracking manner and a clear understanding of each class member's capabilities.  In matters academic and athletic, good coaching means motivating kids to embrace high goals, building confidence, and delivering feedback until a task seems effortless. It also means never giving up on students--and not letting them give up on themselves. Consistently in the state's Top 10 for producing student growth, the results of our department's approaches speak for themselves.