"I want my students to understand that- whatever the issue- they shouldn’t be afraid of the truth." Imparting the courage of conviction to eight-year-olds is not an everyday ambition. For Grace Anne Heacock, it was a mission. A very successful one. Grace Heacock taught the third-graders of the Rosamond Weller Elementary School how to understand and tell the truth. She also gave them the self-confidence and optimism necessary for her annual “We Search” project through which they used their skills in reading, math, composition and critical thinking to research the civic issue of their choice. Thus she showed children that the truth isn’t the same for everyone. “Even very intelligent, caring people come out on different sides,” Heacock would explain, “but by working together, we can find the best possible solution for all.” A recipient of the Alaska Educator Award in 1990 Grace Anne Heacock embodied the qualities of dedication and creativity that are the marks of the truly great educator.
