I know I have mentioned before that I’m a Southerner. I am actually one of those very rare native Floridians—rare because most residents of Florida are transplants. One of the great food traditions of Florida is a winter dish called Ambrosia, a fruit salad made with fresh winter oranges and coconut. Some of you may recognize another version: Homer referenced ambrosia in his poems as the food of the gods. I think the same could be said of the Florida fruit salad since it is one of my favorite dishes and is known to taste divine.
After the Moving Forward with Assessment conference, I would like to offer another spin on the definition of ambrosia – not as a winter dish served in Florida, but as a spring treat generously shared in the Midwest. This variation is composed of the wide variety of dialogues on assessment swirling around me this past Friday at the conference. The opportunity to connect with colleagues from around the region and hear about the impressive assessment work everyone is doing was, indeed, heavenly!
Like my southern dish, this Ambrosia had three key elements that made it truly sublime:
- Fresh ingredients – the conference sessions and discussions presented fresh perspectives from our colleagues in the field, with real stories of assessment successes and failures – no canned fruit here!
- Well mixed – there was a wonderful array of approaches and topics offered throughout the day. It was impossible not to get at least one tasty morsel of an idea to take home from the engaging presentations and interactions in each session.
- Start of something new – Ambrosia is traditionally served on New Year’s Day in Florida, and this year’s conference Moving Forward with Assessment generated lots of new connections, contacts, conversations, ideas, and opportunities.
I hope you enjoyed the Ambrosia aspect of this year’s conference – keep connected as we start the planning for next year.
Sheri H. Barrett, Ed.D.