STORY:
Teacher's New Year Dream Comes True

Denver teacher made plans for 38 years to meet former students on New Year's Day 2000

Dick Jordan has been thinking about they year 2000 and the millennium for more than 30 years. Since 1962, the history teacher invited his students and former students to meet him on New Year’s Day 2000. It would be the year he planned to retired and he wanted to ring in his final months of teaching with his former students.

Dick Jordan also talked about his dream trip to Tahiti, and would joke with his students asking them to bring $1 for his Tahiti fund when they met him in the year 2000. Jordan’s plan was to meet his former students on the steps of the Denver Public Library on New Year’s Day 2000.

Sure enough, on New Year’s day more than 100 former students joined him on the steps some bringing cash for Jordan’s retirement fund. In fact, the retirement fund totaled $750. Jordan was awed by the display of love and support from some of his former students. Jordan donated that money to an area food bank.

Jordan’s story caught the attention of the local press and then the attention of Air France. Officials there heard about Jordan’s dream trip to Tahiti and decided to make that dream come true.

Dean Brest with Air France said they were moved by the strong feelings Jordan’s former students brought with them. To meet on the steps and meet Jordan all those years later deserved a special reward for a special teacher and Air France is flying Jordan and his wife to Tahiti.

Delta Airlines is chipping in too. Delta will get the couple from Denver to Los Angeles so they can catch their flight to the South Pacific.

Jordan and his wife, Irene, will take the trip over spring break this year. Right now, Jordan is teaching part-time and his wife is a principal at a Denver High School.

Jordan says he has been dreaming of Tahiti since he was 22 years old, he is now 60. The year 2000 is a year Jordan will always remember.

Source: Denver Post

DATE: 1/11/2000

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