A GENERATION APART: A Note from Director Jonathan R. Craig.

Every year we see new groups of capable students and caring parents that go off to the world and represent and carry with them the TMA experience. I have students that I have taught in PrimeTIME come back for a job and I have former academy students now members of our faculty. They come back to present on the latest findings in their field or just visit but they always come back with fond memories. They are a part of the TMA family as are all of you.

As teachers and as parents we endeavor to find out what makes our students tick. How can we connect? What is it that motivates them? We draw upon our life-long experiences and interactions and try and find a fit, sometimes to an out-of-context world.

We are in a different age. The Information Age it is referred to. Where everything seems to travel at the speed of light. Here you enter blogs and chatrooms. You IM people about how many downloads you have on your MP3 player. You manipluate iPods, wireless hands-free phones, BlackBerrys laptops sometimes simultaneously while watching HDTV. You have experienced the effects of terrorism in our own country, face the changes due to global warming. Finally, yes, gas prices over $3.00 a gallon are here to stay.

The differences may be great, but the things that matter are not material. Hopefully, we as teachers have taught you more than just facts. I hope you take with you a love of learning, the tools needed to solve problems, and a better understanding of your world.

What will it be that your generation faces? We can only guess. But knowing we have your great minds working on the problems we will face assures me the future will be in good hands. Flying cars that run on water? Antigravity? Vacations on another planet? A journey awaits you. Don't just go along for the ride. Participate, question, and react, and we hope your experiences at TMA prepare you for a road to success.