Secondary School Feature Article JCE Classroom Activity #40; LEDs Are Diodes.

Farewell ...

This column is my last as High School Editor. Since I plan to retire from teaching within the next two years I did not seek an extension to my five-year term. While I have been thoroughly rewarded by my experience during my tenure as High School Editor, I feel that it is time for new ideas and innovative approaches. Serving as high school editor has been one of the most satisfying events in my professional career, which I began as a high school science teacher and will conclude as a teacher of students preparing to teach high school chemistry. What has made the JCE experience so rewarding is the people whom I have been privileged to work with and to serve. The high school community is very fortunate that the editor of the Journal of Chemical Education, John W. Moore, is highly supportive of teachers and strong high school chemistry programs. Without his innovative ideas, dedication, and backing, JCE print, online, and software resources for teachers would not exist. Even the presence of this column is evidence of his commitment to dedicate resources to serving the high school teacher community.

Associate Editors Betty Moore and Mary Saecker have also been very supportive. The news, announcements, and articles that appear each month under the Chemical Education Today section of the Journal are edited by Betty Moore with an eye to including items useful and interesting to high school teachers. Mary Saecker works to ensure that accepted manuscripts appear in the most appropriate section of the Journal and the appropriate issue, such as the games and puzzles in April. The work of Jon Holmes, JCE Software and Online Editor, in making available resources such as the Chemistry Comes Alive! CD-ROM series and the HS CLIC Web site has greatly improved the value and utility of digital resources for high school teachers. Assistant Editor Nancy Gettys works with technical aspects of the software, and, with Erica Jacobsen, develops and edits the popular JCE Classroom Activities series. The great logistical support provided by Assistant Editors Alice Teter and Lin Morris makes complicated tasks appear simple. Kelli Bennett's expertise and creativity have been indispensable to all operational aspects of the high school office, including management of the JCE booth at the annual NSTA convention. Without these individuals the resources for high school teachers in the Journal would not be available.

I would also like to extend a special thank you to the editors of the features most closely associated with the high school office: John Fischer, Second Year and Advance Placement Chemistry; David Byrum, View from My Classroom; Cary Kilner, Chemical Principles Revisited; Mark Alber, Interdisciplinary Connections; and John T. Moore, Chemistry for Kids. Without their hard work and sincere interest in bringing quality articles to teachers, some of the most useful articles would not appear in JCE.

The JCE Board of Publication, chaired by John Gelder, takes an active interest in high school teaching and that support is greatly appreciated. I wish to acknowledge and thank the first and founding high school editor, Mickey Sarquis. As long-time readers know, she served with distinction in that capacity for 17 years.

Finally, a sincere thank you goes to our readers. Without you there would not be a high school presence in the Journal of Chemical Education. Thank you to all high school teachers who submitted manuscripts over the past five years. Thank you to all high school teachers who reviewed manuscripts during the same period. Thank you to everyone who attended a JCE Workshop at a ChemEd Conference, at BCCE, or at the High School Program of an American Chemical Society meeting. And thank you to everyone who stopped by the JCE booth at national NSTA conventions, BCCE, ChemEd, or ACS meetings.

... the High School Editorship Has a Bright Future

And as a page turns in my career, so to speak, a new one appears for two colleagues. On the page opposite this column is the announcement that Diana Mason has been appointed High School Editor and Erica Jacobsen has been appointed Associate High School Editor. Both are dedicated to the support of high school chemistry teachers and I know they will take the high school section to new heights. This dynamic duo bring fresh insights, new ideas, and high energy. I am honored to have preceded them and look forward to observing the continued growth and development of JCE resources for the high school chemistry community.

As Diana and Erica embark on this journey, I encourage each of you to provide them with your thoughts and ideas for how to continually enhance the high school section. And as the song reminds us to "make new friends but keep the old", I hope the new leadership will be met with teachers submitting articles and JCE Classroom Activities and with the continued work and encouragement of those teachers who have been involved with JCE during the past five years.