Education & University

In 2005 Naveen Jain and teh Matzorkis family provided funding to allow the Family Christmas Program to double the number of children who will benefit from the Seattle area program. The web site Intellus.com released the story in December 2005 to highlight the efforts and goals of this program.

Begun in 2004 in Austin, Texas, the Family Christmas program presented gifts and food to 100 of the area’s families in need. Through donations and contributions raised by the Austin Westlake Rotary Club, Bellevue Rotary, and Hopelink of Seattle, the program was able to reach over 350 families in 2005. Further donations meant the program was then able to make the holidays more special to over 1,000 children.

The Press release from Intellus explains the mission and history of the Family Chirstmas Program, focusing on the work of Naveen Jain and the Matzorkis family. As Nicholas Matzorkis states in the release, the goal is to expand the program year by year and with the increase in funding the Bellevue Rotary and Hopelink of Seattle received in 2005, it seems their goal is on target. Matzorkis is the founder of the Family Christmas Program and through his Matzorkis Family Foundation was able to provide clothes, toys, and food to an additional 150 families in 2005.

The additional funding received in 2005 will move the program into Seattle, Washington and also to Monterrey, Mexico. The report from Intellus makes it clear that the more funding the program can receive the further out into the world the program can extend.

The press release also features an appreciative quote from Sally Gray, the Rotary District Governor of Washington. She brings forth the point that the program isn’t only for a small group of families, but is intended to make the holidays happier for children around the world. With funding increases such as that received in 2005, hopefully families in need can feel the holidays aren’t a time of doing without.

Although dated, the press release makes it clear the goals of the Family Christmas Program were being achieved in strides. With such efforts of people like Naveen Jain and the Matzorkis family, it is hoped that they are continuing to provide wonderful holidays for families in need.

Becoming a teacher may be one of the most satisfying decisions of your life. A career in education has so many plusses that it may be impossible to list them all here. but suffice it say that as far as job satisfaction is concerned, a career in education lists in the top ten.

The reasons for this are numerous. The first is that it is a career which allows for incredible growth. There are few careers which offer the potential to use the mind throughout the span of time. Being a teacher forces growth in myriad ways, as students are curious beings and they ask a million questions. It creates a give and take inside the classroom, it promotes learning, not just of the students but also of the teacher. People who thrive on the idea that life should not always be the same old routine, people who seek out the new and the interesting will find the culture of teaching to be incredibly nurturing.

Life with the young is always life affirming. Being with children of any age helps those in the room with them feel alive. Teachers are always testifying to this fact, that classroom settings keeps them on their toes, it helps them see life with fresh eyes, and it promotes a sense of renewal.

Those with children enjoy careers in education because it offers summers off, and so it is career perfectly suited for those who want to be with their children as much as possible. It also allows for those with other career interests to pursue them during the summer months.

Jobs in higher education, on the university level, are the most coveted careers in education. They are the highest paid and offer many fringe benefits, such as tenure, and teaching assistance. It also provides access to university life, which is a rich breeding ground for ideas and debate.

But be it university teaching or teaching kindergarten, the same principle applies, which is that the job is enriching in all ways.