Mary Laura Calhoun

Honoree:
Mary Laura Calhoun

Submitted By:
Lawrence and Mary Lynne Calhoun

Lawrence and I are pleased to honor a wonderful teacher who changes lives, our daughter Mary Laura Calhoun. Mary Laura teaches prekindergarten children in the Washington, DC Public Schools. Her classroom is an inclusive education setting, serving both children with disabilities and children who are typically developing. She surrounds each of her pupils with love, energy, and a high level of skill so that each child grows academically, grows in the capacity to build strong, warm relationships, and grows in hope for an optimal future. Let me tell you about the moment that Mary Laura shared with her father and me her desire to become a teacher. She was a senior at Grinnell College, majoring in political science, and seemingly headed for a career in environmental or human rights activism. She came home for the Christmas break and announced at the dinner table: “I’ve figured something out. The way to change the world REALLY is to teach young children.” Thank you, Mary Laura, for really changing the world.