Time and time again, Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center Graphic & Visual Arts instructor Sally Lord has proven that she is a dedicated professional who is willing to go above and beyond for her students. Most recently, Lord gave up a portion of her summer vacation to chaperone a team of students who competed in this year's Winston Solar Car Challenge, a race that runs from Forth Worth, TX to Minneapolis, MN.

Lord said she was most impressed with watching the team members collaborate, use their critical thinking skills, and apply the knowledge they learned throughout the year. "I was honored to have witnessed and assisted in the hard work that earned them a second place trophy," Lord says.

The path to becoming a Graphic & Visual Arts teacher was not a straight one for Lord. She admits that her career journey has had lots of interesting twists and turns. But it's clear that her education and work experience have made her a perfect fit for the position at Ulster BOCES.

After high school, the Wisconsin native attended the University of Wisconsin. Two years later, Lord transferred to Castleton University in Vermont, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Literature and History and a master's degree in Education. This was where the seed for teaching was first planted.

Upon graduating from Castleton, Lord accepted her first job teaching eighth grade English at North Charleston Middle School in South Carolina. "It was a great first job but very overwhelming," she said.

Shortly after that, she and her husband relocated back to Wisconsin, where she accepted a job in the art department of the Wisconsin Label Corporation. It was the early '90s and back then, everything printed was created "old school." She remembers how in the beginning, the office only had two computers and everything needed to be done manually. This was where she learned about print, film, design, colors, and rubylith (a type of tape used to mask off areas of design).

By the time Lord left the company, things had drastically changed. She recalls the art department owning 35 Mac computers. That was because the print world was going through a revolution, and everything was moving towards digital design.

When her husband got a job back East, Lord earned her New York State teaching certificate. While still pursuing teaching positions, Lord took a graphics position at Benchemark Printing in Schenectady, NY.

Although she enjoyed working at Benchemark, something was urging Lord to make some changes. That's when she saw an advertisement for a graphic arts instructor at Ulster BOCES. She applied and was hired, and has been with Ulster BOCES for the past 13 years. Lord says, "I love sharing what I have learned over the years. I love the creative side of graphic design, and I love what the students bring to the table. Students keep my job interesting."

Lord goes on to explain, "Graphic designers are incredibly talented people who have an eye for detail and enjoy thinking outside the box. Their work includes designing logos and CD covers, understanding topography and poster design, creating headlines for books and magazines, making websites, and crafting memorable types of branding."

Lord loves the fact that her trade requires her to integrate technology into her instructional methods. She says that staying current in technology is essential to her effectiveness in the classroom and growth in her profession.

Over the years, Lord, a big proponent of professional development, has taken workshops in Photoshop and Dreamweaver. She most recently participated in a "design thinking" boot camp at Ulster BOCES, which taught her how to help students learn through problem solving and collaboration. Unlike analytical thinking, design thinking involves brainstorming, having no limits, and testing out theories.

She also has taken drawing lessons at the Woodstock School of Art. Lord says, "I try to incorporate the different drawing techniques I've learned about to help meet the needs of the students so that they will eventually become confident in their own artistic abilities."

"The best part of my job is watching my students have that 'aha' moment. That's what makes this job worth it," Lord says.

Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center Director Marita Kitchell says she is impressed by Lord's commitment to education. Kitchell goes on to explain, "What students take away from a successful education usually centers on a personal connection with a teacher who has instilled passion and inspiration for their content area. Ms. Lord is one of those teachers!"