Project Lead The Way (PLTW) has been a big part of my teaching and my life for the last fifteen years. One of the best parts of my experience with PLTW has been the Summit conferences. Over the years, these events have evolved—there was a time when they held one big conference, then they transitioned to smaller regional events, and now they alternate between a large conference every other year and an off-year event called Masterminds. Masterminds is where all the Master Teachers—who lead professional development and train other PLTW educators—gather for three packed days of sessions about teaching the curriculum and the pedagogy behind it.
We were on our way to Anaheim, California, for a Summit. I was scheduled to give two presentations on Cybersecurity—specifically, how to introduce the subject to schools and districts that were hesitant about it. It was a presentation I had done before and had received great feedback on, so I was excited to do it again.
We had an early flight and arrived at the airport by 6 AM, full of excitement. We knew a trick for getting through security faster at Denver International Airport—there’s a smaller checkpoint that moves quickly. As we approached, I did the usual routine: removed my belt and anything metal, placed them in the TSA bins, and put my laptop and phone in a separate container. I thought I was all set, but just before stepping through the metal detector, I realized I had forgotten my brand-new smartwatch. I was really proud of that watch, so I quickly tossed it into the bin with my shoes and went through security. I got redressed and headed to the gate, ready to board.
That’s when I went to check the time and realized my watch was missing.
Panic set in. I tore through my bags but found nothing. It was an expensive watch, and worse, it had access to my phone and everything on it. I sprinted back to the TSA checkpoint, hoping someone had turned it in. No luck. I searched through the bins—still nothing. Then, my frustration turned into suspicion. I immediately assumed that one of the TSA agents had stolen it. I wasn’t full-blown raging, but I was definitely making a fuss. I got the information on how to file a claim, still fuming as I made my way back to the gate. Sitting with my colleagues from Rangeview, I ranted about the situation. While I didn’t go full “Karen,” I was definitely heading in that direction.
Standing in line to board, I was still grumbling when I noticed my foot felt uncomfortable. Figuring my sock had bunched up, I took off my shoe to fix it. My sock was fine, but as I picked up my shoe to put it back on, I heard a metallic rattle. I shook it—and my watch slid down to the back of the shoe.
Apparently, when I tossed it into the bin, I made the perfect shot, and it landed inside my shoe.
I was mortified. My colleagues Tom & Bill, of course, found it hilarious and made sure I didn’t live it down for the entire conference.
The final nail in the coffin of my embarrassment came as I boarded the plane. A couple sitting near us at the gate, who had overheard my whole ordeal, saw my watch and asked if I had found it. In that moment, I did what any dignified person would do:
“Yep, they found it in a bin,” I said smoothly.
Then I walked on and never looked back.