UCA’s Lange Honored Twice for Excellence in Teaching The Alumni Awards Foundation (AAF) recently honored Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) teacher Jerry Lange with the 2004 Excellence in Teaching Award. The award was presented at the AAF’s annual convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. The award was created by the AAF in partnership with the North American Division to thank and recognize secondary teachers who have made significant contributions to excellence in Adventist education. Along with a bronze medallion, Lange was presented with a personal cash grant in appreciation for his lifelong dedication. Each academy nominated one candidate for the award, and, from those nominations, each conference selected a nominee to send to their union conference. The North Pacific Union Conference was allowed to send two of those nominations to the North American Division, which selected 15 recipients for the award. Shortly after receiving the AAF award, Lange also received the Don Keele Award and a grant to acquire additional technology for UCA’s music department. “We were so amazed when we read over Mr. Lange’s vision for technology in UCA’s music department,” says John Gatchet of the Keele Award committee. “Usually teachers want to do things the way they’ve always been done, but Lange is on the cutting edge!” More important than technology, of course, is the vision and passion for music and the personal caring that Lange passes to his students. Mike Johnson, whose daughter is a UCA student, once commented, “I would fly anywhere and do anything for that man—his influence in my life has been immeasurable.” Lange, who has been at UCA for 35 years, helps the students see their music as a tool for outreach. This school year, the brass quintet played for shopping mall crowds at Christmas, for a community retirees’ luncheon and for Community Table, an ongoing outreach program operated by the academy in nearby Spangle, Wash.
UCA’s Lange Honored Twice
for Excellence in Teaching
The Alumni Awards Foundation (AAF) recently honored Upper Columbia Academy (UCA) teacher Jerry Lange with the 2004 Excellence in Teaching Award. The award was presented at the AAF’s annual convention in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The award was created by the AAF in partnership with the North American Division to thank and recognize secondary teachers who have made significant contributions to excellence in Adventist education. Along with a bronze medallion, Lange was presented with a personal cash grant in appreciation for his lifelong dedication.
Each academy nominated one candidate for the award, and, from those nominations, each conference selected a nominee to send to their union conference. The North Pacific Union Conference was allowed to send two of those nominations to the North American Division, which selected 15 recipients for the award.
Shortly after receiving the AAF award, Lange also received the Don Keele Award and a grant to acquire additional technology for UCA’s music department. “We were so amazed when we read over Mr. Lange’s vision for technology in UCA’s music department,” says John Gatchet of the Keele Award committee. “Usually teachers want to do things the way they’ve always been done, but Lange is on the cutting edge!”
More important than technology, of course, is the vision and passion for music and the personal caring that Lange passes to his students. Mike Johnson, whose daughter is a UCA student, once commented, “I would fly anywhere and do anything for that man—his influence in my life has been immeasurable.”
Lange, who has been at UCA for 35 years, helps the students see their music as a tool for outreach. This school year, the brass quintet played for shopping mall crowds at Christmas, for a community retirees’ luncheon and for Community Table, an ongoing outreach program operated by the academy in nearby Spangle, Wash.
Jerry Lange (left) received the Excellence in Teaching Award and medallion from the Alumni Awards Foundation. Gerald Kovalski, North American Division vice president for education, presented the award.
