Here is my president's report for November. It was written for certain people, but it also applies to many other people that I am blessed to call friends.

At the end of the Christmas classic "It's a Wonderful Life," George Bailey opens the book that his guardian angel has left for him to read the inscription, "No man is a failure who has friends."

The past few months have been very interesting for MSTA and for our region. Since we met last, we had a very successful Open Hearing and Assembly of Delegates, where issues that are near to the heart of our region's educators were brought up for discussion. Election night came and went, and with it, 90% of MSTA's endorsed candidates won. This year's Convention marked a milestone that few associations ever achieve, and we celebrated it in style. We also adopted revised Articles of Incorporation and By-laws that will allow us to operate in the 21st century as the professional organization and business that we have become. We have plenty to celebrate!

We're just getting started. Following Convention, the board met for five hours to discuss the future of our Association. The future has never been brighter for MSTA. We are poised to take on Jefferson City this year and come out with victories like we haven't seen in some time. We have passionate leaders who will lead the charge, and we have many more passionate members who will be right behind them.

With all the excitement from November, there was also some disappointment. On election night, half of the candidates lost. Some of them lost by a large margin; others by just a vote or two. I was also disappointed by the outcome of an election when I lost the write-in campaign for MSTA Vice President. I understood the disappointment felt by so many political candidates just a week earlier. But I was also encouraged by the support that I received from so many members from across the state and from our region.

The quote from "It's a Wonderful Life" helped me remember that success and failure aren't determined by how much you accomplish or at what level you lead. If you look around at the people you call friends and consider why they call you their friend, it's easy to remember the successes you've had in life. As I think about the friendships I have with fellow leaders throughout the state, I realize the impact of my involvement up to this point. And as I think about those of you that I am blessed to call my Southeast Region friends, I can't help but think I'm the most successful person in the world. You are the greatest friends anyone could ask for, and I appreciate your support and service to the children of Southeast Missouri.