Waching daily Jun 2 2017

I was thinking about this just a few weeks ago,

and I realized that everything I do today--

my job as a trainer, my hobbies with Wisconsin

Public Television and coaching, my future interests

in politics--everything I do today is built on the skills

that I learned from Tom Hardin.

This is Kit Timmerman, class 2003.

I am Abby Nichols, formerly Abby Stevens,

I graduated from Memorial in 2003.

Hi, I'm Katie Hettenbach, I graduated in 2016...

weird, that was last year.

I'm Arwen Fonzen, class of 2006, woot woot!

I'm Ari Herstand, I graduated Memorial in 2003.

My name is Grace Colas, I graduated Memorial in 2009.

Hi, my name is Andrew Gonzales, and I was a captain

on the forensics team from 2008 to 2009,

my junior year of high school.

I'm Beth Lemay, I graduated class of 2001.

My name is Jayanth Iyengar, and I was a member

of Mr. Hardin's forensics teams back in the early years:

from 2001 to 2003.

My name is Micah Herstand, I graduated

Memorial in 2006.

I'm Talia, I graduated in 2003.

My name is Elena Colas, I graduated in 2007 from

the Tom Hardin school of drama, debate, and forensics.

I'm David Hoffert, I graduated in 2003.

I'm Kate Phelps, I graduated from Memorial in 2005.

My name is Danny Wedel, class of 2003.

I was in a bunch of plays and musicals at Memorial,

let's see if I can get all of these... Anything Goes,

Night Watch, Fiddler on the Roof... uuuuhhhh...

...involved in forensics and the tech side of theater,

I was the head of set decoration.

I was on Tom's first three Memorial forensics teams,

and then after graduation I coached for him

in college, and then when I moved back to Madison

after graduate school, I've been one of his assistant

coaches for the last four years.

...Streetcar Named Desire, West Side Story,

Up the Down Staircase...

I participated in drama and forensics,

but mostly theater.

...42nd Street...

Crew, with Tom Hardin, and forensics...

I came back after I graduated and was a coach

for off and on about eight years.

Also did for forensics all four years,

My senior year I won the state tournament

in Demonstration Speaking, doing tap dancing;

I wore a white tux with a top hat.

I had the honor of being a student in Mr. Hardin's

English class, a competitor on the forensics team,

and an actor in many of his plays and musicals.

I've also had the pleasure of working with Mr. Hardin

over the last eight years, assisting with sound design

for the musicals at Memorial.

...there may have been one or two more in there, I think.

I'm an actor, voice artist, and singer/songwriter

in Denver, Colorado.

Today, I'm a software engineer, but I'm also an actor

and a musician.

I think, in no small way, it has helped me on my path

to becoming a professor; that's something

I very much wanted to do, and now I'm doing it.

Mr. Hardin had a huge impact on my life.

I'm sitting here right now in my own private voice studio,

I'm a voice teacher now, I went to school

for musical theater, so clearly my high school theater

experience really had a huge impact.

Today, I'm a project manager and management

consultant for Deloitte consulting, based in Chicago,

where I work with a number of companies on

a whole host of issues associated with the startup

and/or consolidation of their corporate facilities.

I'm currently a professional musician, an actor--

film and TV actor--author, and

you know, I guess it really all started in high school

with Mr. Hardin.

During the week, I work at a non-profit where I silently

judge people for their diction and delivery in meetings.

Mr. Hardin, you're the reason my parents never saw me.

I was at school from 7 AM to 9 PM every day through

high school but, you know, I turned out okay anyway.

I went up to see him and he asked me,

"why aren't you in forensics?" And, I remember thinking

at the time that I had no clue what he was talking about.

I was absolutely terrified--absolutely terrified--

of public speaking.

The bulk of my theater experience before I went

to college was at Memorial with Mr. Hardin, and

I loved him; he was fantastic.

He was a total drill sergeant, but I liked that about him!

I still have the original photocopy of the story that we

cut and paste together for my first prose piece,

A Christmas Story.

Sorry, I guess I should call him "Tom" Hardin

now that I'm a grown-up.

He expects a lot out of people but, because of those

expectations, people rise to the occasion.

Hardin taught me that you gotta love what you're doing.

He has this passion for what he does.

He taught me how to lead with confidence.

I think the most meaningful thing that I've learned from

him is the importance of continuous growth,

to never stop challenging yourself to become a better

person, and to find ways to keep giving back.

Hardin was also my English teacher, and I learned never

to use the two words "a lot" in my writing which,

as a published author today--I just released a 450-page

book--and I don't think I ever used those two words in

conjunction together, thanks Hardin for that!

Not more than three weeks ago, a senior vice president

at a company that I'm currently working with at Deloitte

asked me to come in for a meeting, and as we were

talking through a number of different issues, he casually

asked me to make a presentation to seventy of his team

members on our project, its current status, etc.

Now, without my time as a forensicator, I probably

would have been trembling at this prospect.

Hardin introduced me to my people, not just the kids,

some of whom are still my best friends today, but

to the playwrights, and the writers, and the characters

who offer their wisdom and support to all of us.

I think it's definitely helped me be a more confident

adult, it's helped me be a more successful person,

helped me be more disciplined in the way that I

approach everything that I do.

Tom Hardin probably taught me most of what I know

about public speaking, presenting myself, and dressing

well for interviews.

It became so clear, so fast, that he had built this

incredible community of students who supported

each other, no matter what, with no reservations,

with no conditions; everyone was just there

to back each other up, all the time.

And in high school I think that's what kids need;

they need--especially in a big high school like Memorial--

I think we all needed a place where we felt like we fit in,

and theater and forensics was that for so many people

at Memorial, and people from all different backgrounds.

I wouldn't be where I am today without the skills

that Hardin taught me; I wouldn't be where I am today

without the work ethic that Hardin instilled in me.

To listen and not take offense, and find things that you

can incorporate and adjust in your own work to push

yourself further, I think has been a really

useful tool to have.

I think that, in general, the amount of faith that

Mr. Hardin had in his students, and what he expected

of them, as, just, human beings, really pushed a lot of us

to be the best people that we could be; be the best

performers we could be, the best writers we could be,

the best students, and members of the school

that we could be.

You know, he brought out the best in us--he brought out

the best in me--and I carry a little bit of Hardin

with me, every day.

He went above and beyond as a teacher, as a mentor,

as a director, and as a coach.

I still have his number memorized; it's still in my head,

and in my cell phone--<number muted>--

so, if I ever need him, you know, I think we all know

he's there for us, if we ever need him again in the future.

So I am so grateful to have been a part of Tom Hardin's

legacy, and to continue that legacy on

teaching my students today.

We've won ten years in a row--like, that's insane!

That's crazy! That's so cool!

And we're excited to send, maybe not to you,

but somewhere, the next generation of forensicators.

I recently had my first child, a son named Cramer

and, you know, I'm not going to force him into

too many things. I mean, he will be a Packer fan

and he will learn to play Euchre, but really the only

other thing that he's not going to get a say in

is joining a forensics team, when the time comes.

Tom, it has been an honor to work with you,

and I wish you the very best in retirement.

Thank you, Mr. Hardin.

Thank you, Mr. Hardin.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for investing in our education,

and our development, and also just enriching our

high school experience so much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hardin--Tom--thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hardin.

Thank you.

Thank you, Hardin, thank you for your time, and your

energy, and for making us the best that we could be.

Thank you.

Thank you again, Mr. Hardin,

for everything you taught us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

--Thank you, Mr. Hardin --Thanks, Mr. Hardin! --Thank you.

Thank you, Tom, on behalf of the generations

of students, at Memorial and elsewhere,

whose lives you've touched. Thank you.