Being named the ISTE Outstanding Young Educator last year was a tremendous honor.  Having nothing but admiration and respect for my fellow educators and ISTE members, it was incredibly humbling to be selected for this award.  I remember excitedly calling my wife and parents to tell them of the overwhelming feeling of pride I felt at the moment I found out.  It was pride that stemmed not from being named a “winner”, but from being recognized for the work I was and continue to do.  As you likely know, our community is littered with talented and dedicated educators that do amazing things each and every day to make a positive impact on education and the life of students.  So to be selected as a person doing good work from a field of spectacular educators was an amazing feeling.  I am so very proud to be an ISTE member and a part of the Young Educator Network that is filled with so many young and passionate educators making a difference in today’s classrooms. 

I have worked as an educator for almost ten years.  Starting out as a High School English teacher I was always working with technology to allow my students to build and tell digital stories and express themselves in unique ways.  But my passion for educational technology really came into play in 2004.  One of the required courses as part of my Masters Degree in Education was focused on technology in the classroom.  After taking the class, while still a student, I was asked to teach the course for the following semester.

It was during this time that I started to explore web-based tools and in 2007 I started a little web resource that grew to become the website www.eduTecher.net.  Originally, eduTecher’s purpose was to allow me a place to share all the great free web tools I had been exploring online with my students.  The site has grown in scope and reach over the past four years and is now used by teachers, students, and parents all over the world.  There are also free mobile apps available that are downloaded on more than 60,000 devices in over 47 countries. 

Currently I work as the Senior Director of Educational Technology and Student Services for the College Board’s Advanced Placement program.  I am heading up several projects that will help students succeed in their academic endeavors. 

In 2008 I began speaking at conferences about education and technology in the classroom.  It is such an honor to be asked to speak at conferences around the country and help work with schools to impact positive change.  In addition to working, running eduTecher, and speaking, I also organize and run the Change the World charity campaign that you can read more about at www.eduTecher.net/change. 

Winning an award is a huge honor – but it is not like winning the lottery.  What I mean by that is that your world won’t change unless you continue to do the work that was got you recognized in the first place. 

 Currently I am working on adding even more features to eduTecher and am already hard at work on my presentations for this summer’s ISTE conference as well as working on some yet to be announced projects for students and educators.

I am so lucky to be part of the educational technology community and I will continue the work for which I was recognized by ISTE and try to do whatever I can to help educators and students on a daily basis.

Recognition by my fellow ISTE members was something I will never forget and I look forward to reuniting with so many wonderful teachers and passionate educators this summer in San Diego.

Adam Bellow is Founder and President of eduTecher, Senior Director of Educational Technology and Student Services at The College Board, and awardee of the 2011 ISTE Outstanding Young Educator Award. The views expressed here are his own.