HOOD RIVER — Nan Noteboom, writing 121/122 and yearbook teacher at Hood River Valley High School, recently learned she’d been nominated — and awarded — the Region 9 Title I-C, Oregon Migrant Education Program Advocate of the Year award at the 2022 Migrant Education Conference in Salem.
It came as a big surprise. Noteboom’s first thought upon hearing her name was, “That’s weird there are two Nan Notebooms in Oregon.”
Spoiler alert: There aren’t, which Noteboom realized once her photo flashed on the conference screen.
She’d been asked to attend the Migrant Education Conference by Hood River County School District Migrant Education Director Patricia Ortega-Cooper. But she’d been told she was needed to be part of the district’s presentation — not that she had won a statewide award.
“They lied,” Noteboom joked. “Patricia contacted me early in the week and said they really needed me in Salem at this thing, to assist them with a presentation. And all week I had questions. I said, ‘Should I prepare something? Can I help? I have pictures from summer school?’ (And they said) ‘No, no, we got it. You just sit there.’”
Even though nothing seemed to add up — Ortega-Cooper told her she’d be done at the conference by 9 a.m., but Noteboom noted the presentations didn’t start after lunch — she still didn’t put it together.
“I saw that we had to sit through this award ceremony, which started at 8:30. And then it started,” Noteboom remembered. “And then they said my name. And even when I was walking up there, I was completely stunned. Just so surprised.
“I mean, I was very humbled, because I didn’t think I was that big of a deal,” Noteboom said. “But it was pretty cool. I do feel super proud. And I have loved working with the program — and all that kind of morphed into. Now I’m the teacher for the Summer Academy, where I work with America Flores (Migrant Education Program high school graduation specialist) and Patricia. We get these migrant kids and just really try just pump them up and encourage them, and give them some study skills … And they’re awesome kids, some of the hardest working kids you’ll ever meet.”
Noteboom is quick to say that, while she won the award, “there’s a lot of people that support these kids, like the AVID program, and their counselors, and pretty much all of their teachers,” describing herself as an "ordinary" English teacher.
“But I, as an English teacher, especially a senior English teacher, I read a lot of college and personal essays. And years ago, I started realizing what it means to be an undocumented student. Because sometimes they would write about it … and that’s when those kids kind of came on my radar as being amazing and full of potential, but facing this huge barrier. And I just felt for them.”
Soon, she was helping students fill out DACA — Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — paperwork.
“All I did at first was kind of advertise it to the high school kids at the school and print some of the paperwork. But then people would hear that I was helpful. And then kids started coming to me, and I started helping them. And then they’d come in and show me their card — that was awesome,” she said.
It should be noted that DACA is no longer accepting new applications. “I am working with students right now who are amazing and smart and hardworking and undocumented — and what’s the motivation to go to college?” she said. “Because after college, you know what you can do for work is so limited. So it’s really hard to advise them and encourage them to keep working hard in school. But of course, we do, and we hope for immigration reform.”
Even though DACA is only open for renewals now, she pays attention to legislation that affects her students. She’s testified before the Oregon State Legislature twice: Once for tuition equity and another for driver’s licenses for all.
“That time, I had some students who also went and testify … so that was really powerful,” she said.
Though the Advocate of the Year award came as a surprise to Noteboom, it was less so to those who have worked with her.
“Nan was selected for this honor because she has demonstrated what it means to advocate for migrant education students at the classroom, school district and state level,” said Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn at the Nov. 9 board meeting. “… I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Nan for many years — she is a fierce advocate for equity and she is a fierce advocate for her students, and well-deserving of this honor.”
“Nan has been a great advocate for 15 years,” Ortega-Cooper said. “When I learned Nan won, I thought it would make a good surprise because she is very humble.” She added, “It was priceless to see the look on her face.”
On the nomination form, Ortega-Cooper wrote: “She stands out as a role model because she is not afraid to show her support for our migrant and Latino communities. She is unapologetic about her support. Her dedication to her values is an admirable attribute that students take note of and follow. Without Nan Noteboom’s service to the program and community, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are.”
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