In July of 2008 I was fortunate to be able to attend  the DEN National Leadership Council Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland.  This intensive week-long staff development opportunity enabled me to network with other educators from all over the nation.  Incorporating educational technology into our curriculum is so important because we live in such a media rich world that this is something that really engages the students and is something that students really get excited about.  One of the things that I LOVE about the DEN and that I am excited to be a part of, is that technology and the DEN allows me to connect with people from all over the world.  The students like this possibility as well.  They would like their voice to be heard, learn from others outside our classroom walls, and assist in their quest for knowledge.  When access is provided to all students, technology opens the doors and allows teacher to differentiate learning needs, engage students, collaborate with others, learn from each other and create cool media rich projects.