NEA: This Active Life: Carving a New Life in Wood

When Hawaii member Herb Kaneko retired from his high school woodshop and vocational education career in 1995, he didn’t want his years of training and love for woodworking to fade away. "I’ve always loved making beautiful pieces with great care," says Kaneko. "Retirement has finally given me the chance and the time to do so."

Kaneko not only works on furniture and other household pieces. He’s also created carvings linked to his Hawaiian heritage. "I create hat blocks for forming the traditional Hawaiian hat called the lauhala and make carvings that reflect the rich images of Hawaii," Kaneko says, pleased with the resurgence of Hawaiian crafts.

Kaneko isn’t alone. Other members of the Kaneko family have also dedicated themselves to traditional Hawaiian crafts, such as weaving. Kaneko and his family members are familiar sights at state and local craft fairs and festivals.

"Discovering the beauty of the grain and the wonderful texture of the wood is a great experience," Kaneko reflects. "Like many craftsmen, I have a great respect

for the source of my wood. And now that I have the luxury of time, I can take

my time to create beautiful pieces. When I’m in my workshop, I can lose myself in my work."

Kaneko’s care and craftsmanship has paid off. "Woods by Herb," has received awards and quite a few orders for custom-made pieces.

"Knowing others appreciate my work makes me very pleased and keeps me going," says Kaneko. "As long as I can."

This summer, we bid a sad farewell to two dedicated leaders in NEA-Retired: Elaine Marks, a member of the NEA-Retired Advisory Council from South Carolina, and Deloris Hampton, a local leader and activist in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Throughout their education careers and retirement lives, both women dedicated themselves to improving our profession and our quality of life. They were always present at leadership meetings, lobbying activities, and NEA Representative Assemblies, ready and willing to get involved. And when the time came to volunteer, even the heavy work of landscaping, painting, and cleaning schools in impoverished neighborhoods, these leaders never hesitated.

Elaine Marks and Deloris Hampton represent thousands of local, state, and national leaders who have chosen to represent you.

Because of their commitment and hard work, many of you have seen your pensions and health care coverage improve. Because of their activism, you’ve seen your concerns on the front pages of newspapers and heard politicians address your needs as educators and as retirees. Because of their creativity and leadership, you’ve attended social gatherings, taken educational and enjoyable trips, and networked with friends and colleagues.

As you go about your retired life, don’t forget to stop and say thank you to your tireless leaders. And don’t hesitate to get involved yourself. NEA-Retired wants and needs you to get involved in the Association. You’ll find a rich, rewarding experience awaiting you.

This summer, I saw many new faces at the NEA Annual Meeting. Together with NEA-Retired veteran leaders, they worked hard to make our Association strong. Elaine Marks and Deloris Hampton and all of the leaders who’ve gone before us would be proud. Join me in following their example. I look forward to seeing you at the next leader meeting.

Thanks to your letters and E-mails, I’ve learned that the life of a retired member isn’t necessarily a quiet one. I’ve learned that many of you are climbing mountains, volunteering overseas, and carving out new job opportunities. And I’ve learned over and over again that leaving your job doesn’t mean leaving education.

That makes my search for interesting stories much easier, and I think you’ll notice the difference in this and future issues. These aren’t just the same old faces time and again or a collection of People Magazine fluff stories, they’re features that demonstrate the wide variety of members in your organization.

More and more, I’ve found new names, faces, and stories for these pages. And thanks to your feedback, I’ve found new questions to answer, new resources and organizations to feature.

Because of this, I welcome your suggestions for stories and people to cover. I’d like to know what issues you’re grappling with during your retirement. I’d like to know what your local or state Affiliate is doing to help you. I’d like to know how you’re spending your retirement. I’d also like to know if there are fellow retirees and leaders who deserve recognition for the hard work they do. These stories enrich this magazine.

Keep your calls, letters, and E-mails coming. We rely on them. Anita Merina, Editor

A Memorable Student

I had a student who was very eager to learn and worked hard every day. He hadn’t learned to read before.

The difference between this student and the elementary students I taught: This student wore an orange uniform, and we worked in a small room under the close supervision of a prison guard. But he showed such pride when he could finally read aloud a book like Read to My Bunny to his own child.

Elaine Renger
Mentor, Ohio

Proud Mary

After a career in education for over 35 years teaching kindergarten, transition first, and first grade, I have many memorable experiences. The one that first came to me was about Mary Ann, who was finally successful cutting out a jack-o-lantern. That was back in the early 1970s, but I can still see her by the window as she held up the orange paper that she had turned into a perfect jack-o-lantern. That big smile and look of pride has remained with me.

Another moment was on the evening of one kindergarten orientation when a young father came to me with his son. I realized the father had been one of my students 25 years earlier. This happened several times after that but that evening was particularly special.

Catherine Adams
Rockford, Illinois

A Career of Memories

My plan was to become a concert pianist, not a teacher. Once I began teaching, however, I realized what a difference I could make. Over the years, I saw children who were considered to be unable to learn. I gained the reputation of being very fair, understanding, and loving. For me, every day was a new, exciting, and interesting experience, and teaching was much more fun than working in a department store or insurance company.

The children brought happiness to me when things were not going well personally, and they looked to me to be their mother, nurse, counselor, and friend.

Elizabeth W. Carson
Allentown, Pennsylvania

Finding the Spark

I’d had my share of roughnecks in the classroom, and I knew that children rebelled when they simply didn’t understand what was asked of them. In some ways, the behavior was really a cry for help.

I kept after one child until I recognized a twinkle of comprehension. I knew I had him hooked. He began to read and understand, and he didn’t seem as angry anymore. Years later, this boy visited me as an adult. "I want my child in your classroom," he said, and I knew I had my reward for persevering.

Almarene C. Lowndes
Columbus County, Florida

Eating Her Words

I remember the quirky downside of my attempts to play the positive role model. During lunchtime at my school in Hillsborough County, Florida, I used to force myself to eat cooked spinach, a food that was always hard for me to swallow, because I wanted to teach the children not to refuse or be picky about food. To this day, I’m unable to eat cooked spinach on my own!

Bobbie Jean Cook
Hillsborough County, Florida