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Uni Watch reader Tom Roddy teaches history to 11th graders in Henderson, Nev. When his students do a unit each year on the New Deal, Roddy has each of them design a uniform for a fictitious basketball team based on a New Deal government program — an ingenious way to merge American history and uniforms. (I’ve featured his students’ New Deal-inspired uni designs on the site several times over the past few years — look here, here, and here.)
Now that assignment has helped Tom win a teaching award. I’ll let him explain:
Most high schools in our county partner with an in-state college to teach “Dual Enrollment” classes, where teachers partner with professors to teach intro-level college courses, allowing students to earn both high school and college credits.
This year, my school switched its partnering school to University of Nevada, Reno. Last week, they honored me by naming me the Collegiate Academy Teacher of the Year! When they gave me the award, the Provost in charge of the Dual Enrollment program went off-script from his prepared notes to specifically mention the New Deal Uniform assignment.
How great is that? Here are some shots of Tom at the award ceremony (as you can see, he was getting an early jump on Purple Amnesty Day), along with the award itself:
So cool. I’m super-happy for Tom, and also proud to have shared this assignment on Uni Watch. Big congrats to Tom on this well-deserved honor, and also big thanks for the important work he does as a teacher!
Membership Update
Another half-dozen designs have been added to the membership card gallery (including Matthew Cooksley’s Royals gold-trimmed championship-themed card, shown at right). We are now completely caught up on designs, so if you ordered a card and don’t see it in the gallery, please contact me ASAP. We’re still a few weeks behind on printing, laminating, and shipping, but we’re working on it. Thanks for your patience!
The membership program will end when I step away from Uni Watch at the end of next week, so move fast if you want to get on board. As always, you can sign up for your own custom-designed card here, you can see all the cards we’ve designed so far here (now more than 3,400 of them!), and you can see how we produce the cards here.
Los Angeles Activity Reminder
As you probably know by now, my upcoming Uni Watch Tour ’24 will include a stop in Los Angeles. That will be next Tuesday, May 21, 7pm, as we gather at Tony P’s.
For a while now I’ve been saying that some possible extracurricular activities were “TBA,” and now I can finally tell you about that: We’re going to get a tour of Game Changing Gear, which is the go-to uniform supplier for movies, TV shows, commercials, and more. They have tons of old gear from past productions, which should be fascinating to see. Their facility isn’t normally open to the public, but their main guy, Mike Fox, is a Uni Watch fan (and a really swell guy besides) and has generously agreed to give us a tour. Should be great!
Game Changing Gear is at 3555 Lomita Blvd., Unit B, in Torrance, Calif. We’ll meet there at 4:30pm, Mike will give us a tour, and then we’ll head to Tony P’s from there.
We’d like to have a rough head count for the Game Changing Gear tour. So if you think you might attend, please shoot me a note. Thanks!
(Special thanks to Bob Halfacre for putting me in touch with Game Changing Gear.)
• • • • •
Our latest raffle winner is Matt Heitkamp, who’s won himself a mismatched-purple membership card. Congrats to him and thanks again to Kary Klismet for sponsoring this one.
After today, I will have 12 more days remaining at Uni Watch. — Paul
Congrats! I love to see teachers receive well earned recognition.
Awesome! Congrats, Tom.
Congrats to Tom!
To all of the people who think teaching is easy? Give it a try!
The students continue to change at an alarming rate (Thanks, techmology.), but the system stays the same.
Congratulations!!!!!!
Congrats, Tom! And thanks for being an innovative teacher.
Those New Deal unis are always a highlight, tying two of my favorite things, history and uniforms. Also, my last Uni Watch membership card looks just as good as I hoped. Thanks Paul and Scott.
Congratulations to Tom! I am also a 11th grade History teacher, and we’ve traded a couple projects, including this one, which my students love doing, as it allows them to indulge their creativity and have some fun during a unit which many of them struggle with.
Congratulations, Tom! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your accounts over the last few years of the uniforms your students have designed as part of your history lesson on the New Deal. I’m thrilled to see that your creativity and hard work have been properly acknowledged
P.S. You look sharp in purple! Don’t let anyone *cough* (Paul) *cough* tell you differently. ;^)
Congratulations, Tom!!
Congratulations, a great achievement and a proper recognition for it, Tom! I love the uniform project.
Congratulations to Tom! (And a great last name, too!)
Congratulations, Tom!
Very cool! Congrats, Tom!
From one teacher to another, congratulations.
Congrats! I love to see teachers receive well earned recognition.
Awesome! Congrats, Tom.
Congrats to Tom!
To all of the people who think teaching is easy? Give it a try!
The students continue to change at an alarming rate (Thanks, techmology.), but the system stays the same.
Congratulations!!!!!!
Congrats, Tom! And thanks for being an innovative teacher.
Those New Deal unis are always a highlight, tying two of my favorite things, history and uniforms. Also, my last Uni Watch membership card looks just as good as I hoped. Thanks Paul and Scott.
Congratulations to Tom! I am also a 11th grade History teacher, and we’ve traded a couple projects, including this one, which my students love doing, as it allows them to indulge their creativity and have some fun during a unit which many of them struggle with.
Congratulations, Tom! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your accounts over the last few years of the uniforms your students have designed as part of your history lesson on the New Deal. I’m thrilled to see that your creativity and hard work have been properly acknowledged
P.S. You look sharp in purple! Don’t let anyone *cough* (Paul) *cough* tell you differently. ;^)
Congratulations, Tom!!
Congratulations, a great achievement and a proper recognition for it, Tom! I love the uniform project.
Congratulations to Tom! (And a great last name, too!)