De nominator! (haha, my new name)

I've been dying to post this, but I was too afraid to until now. (I'll explain why)
Back when 99.9 KEZ was playing Christmas music, I (Erika) kept it on every spare minute I had while doing homework, baking/cooking, etc. etc. and I heard a commercial for the Ottawa University, Excellence in Education award. This award is for outstanding teachers who of course have to be nominated by either a student or parent of a student. When I heard this, I ran to my computer, found the website, and nominated my old ELP social studies teacher, Mr. Bisanz. Of course, this was while Christmas music was playing so it was either November or VERY VERY beginning of December. Well, last Tuesday (January 6th) I got home to find out that mom had gone back to the hospital (I believe she's working on a post for that right now...more info. to come), and just as I was feeling pretty out of luck and stressed out, I got a call from "Christine at 999kez.com. She told me I had won (Mr. Bisanz had won) and that they were coming the following Tuesday to present the award to him and throw a big assembly thing for him. I, obviously, was practically shaking and trembling with excitement and could barely believe my piddly little paragraph actually persuaded someone into doing something (I--excuse my language--SUCK at writing, esp. persuasive writing)!! The catch: it was a SECRET--meaning I couldn't run in and congratulate him the next time I saw him (which would be the next day). So now I was keeping another secret from him. (His birthday was that coming Friday and my friends and I were planning to break into his room and decorate then have a birthday party during lunch for him--the first secret I was keeping.) Anyways, the principal passed out a letter explaining the whole thing to all current and former ELP students, telling them also that it was a SECRET! Today, (Tuesday, Jan. 13th) my dad and I went to Poston, I got my PAR stamp from my biology teacher then we went to the auditorium to see tons of posters plastering the walls saying "Congratulations, Mr. Bisanz!" "W is for ELP" and several of his more famous quotes. We all ("all" being HUNDREDS of current and former ELP students!!) got seated (this is about 7:50ish AM btw) and I looked back to see Mrs. Bisanz, and their 2 kids-- Alyssa and Bryce-- walk in and stand in the back. A little after 8 (like 8:05ish), Mr. Bisanz and another teacher who was escorting him to their "meeting with the sound guy about getting a new sound system for the auditorium" walked in, we all stood up, clapped, yelled, screamed, laughed, etc. etc. etc. (we're elp, whaddaryagonnado??) He stood at the back until the principal went up and dragged him down, then they gave him his award, explained how and why he was getting it (I nominated him), then read what I had written about him. (You can see it on 999kez.com along with a picture) After he got his award (which was a plaque and $99), they told him that he was now in the running for "teacher of the YEAR!!" and that later on, he and the principal along with the station personalities and whoever else would go out to lunch at a VERY EXPENSIVE restaurant. As he fought back tears, he made a speech that was very good and that he swears he can't remember what-in-the-heck he said, then we took a BUNCH of pictures (if I get them, maybe I'll post some on here later on), cleaned up the posters and balloons, then went back to his room to just hang out and talk. It was SOOOOO MUCH FUN and I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad that he won!!! I wanted to post this last week, but I was too scared that he'd somehow find this blog, read this, and ruin the surpsrise. (He had absolutely NO IDEA that this was happening, he was completely caught off-guard!!!) But now you get to hear the result of that funny little paragraph that I wrote a few months ago. :) So ya, if you heard/hear my name mentioned on the radio as quite a few people did, it was indeed me and we are all VERY VERY happy about it. :) Here's one picture (it's on their website):

From right to left, that's me, Marty Manning, and Mr. Bisanz.