Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to say goodbye for now. This has been a challenging year for so many of us, and next year likely presents additional challenges that cannot yet be foreseen. Hopefully this year has provided you a real sense of place and a necessary geographic perspective that is vital for life in the 21st century. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic further emphasizes that geography matters now more than ever. I do wish all of you a good and SAFE summer remembering that following guidelines by the experts who have devoted their life to studying handling moments like this is always the best path and the best way to show respect for your neighbor as well as academic disciplines that exist for a reason.
As for me, this is where my journey at Pope High School ends after 6 years serving this community. In fact, this is where my 15 year journey as a classroom teacher, focused on both geography and history during those years, ends for now. It’s with many mixed emotions that I say goodbye to a job I love so much, but it is time to pursue the next path. As many of you know, much of my love for education comes from my desire to give my students authentic experiences outside the classroom and get them out in the world. The next step in my journey will help me to continue to do that for students in the state of Georgia. I will be going to work as a Global Partnerships Manager for Georgia with EF Educational Tours starting June 15. EF has been an educational partner of mine as a teacher since 2008, and I’m excited about being able to work for them directly now. My job will be focused on developing partnerships with school districts (including Cobb), administrations, and individual teachers which will help them build effective and sustainable international programs, something a truly believe in the need for.
As borders around the world are closed, this a challenging time to be entering this role, but I’m excited for the challenge, and realistically the entire world of education is gearing up for challenges moving forward into the next academic year. Embrace the challenges, and use them to help you personally grow and help others.
Have a good summer!
Roger Prill
Pope High School AP Human Geography 