For 26 years Kay Toliver taught mathematics and communication arts in her East Harlem classroom relatively unnoticed until a co-worker encouraged her to apply for a teaching award.
"It was last February when Alba Morero told me I should apply for the Disney teaching award," she said. "She hounded me for 20 days."Toliver said she applied, not only for herself but for everyone at P.S. 72/East Harlem Tech. To her surprise, the native of Central Harlem won the Disney American Teacher Award.
"They were all ecstatic," she said of her co-workers. "The parents were thrilled. Everone in the community was thrilled. It was like everyone had won. It was a positive note for East Harlem."
Toliver, who'll be in Salt Lake City on Saturday to speak at a conference for educators, went on to win the 1993 Presidential Award and the Reliance Award for Excellence in Education. Then came the making of the PBS special "Good Morning, Miss Toliver."
"What's so great about `Good Morning, Miss Toliver' is that the world gets to see the kids of East Harlem and how wonderful they are. They want to achieve and learn like any other kids. And they got to see themselves on tele-vi-sion."
Toliver realized her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher in September 1967.
"Education was always stressed as a means to a better life," Toliver said of her New York upbringing. "I think it's the only way to empower yourself. Education is the key to a better life."
Toliver's trip to Utah is sponsored by several organizations, including the Utah Mesa program, which is dedicated to improving access to math and science-based careers for women and minorities. Toliver will deliver the conference's keynote address Saturday at 7 p.m. at the conference's closing dinner and dance. Tickets are $20 and can be obtained by calling 585-3135.
Toliver says its a teacher's job to help instill confidence in the students.
"It's wonderful to see those faces of young people feeling good about learning, feeling that they can achieve success."