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Rush-Henrietta teacher has opportunity to carry 2008 Olympic torch

When Linda Bilak went on the Lenovo Web site to research a digital video for her classroom, she left the site hoping to win a laptop. Instead, the Brockport resident won a chance to carry the torch at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Bilak, 43, was chosen as one of the 18 finalists to carry the torch after writing a 50-word essay on why she is an innovative thinker. According to the site, 6,000 people from eight countries entered the essay contest.

"My entire essay was about teaching, how I teach, and how I use electronics to teach," Bilak said. "It's nice to have recognition of what I do professionally."

Bilak, who teaches 7th and 8th grade Spanish at the Rush-Henrietta Roth Middle School, said she was told she was a finalist on a Friday and by Sunday night had to create a 30-second online video on how she would carry the torch.

"We had to think of our own creative, unique way to do the video," she said. "I think the time crunch was to make it as spontaneous as it could be without getting it too polished."

With a short amount of time to get it done, Bilak said she knew exactly who to ask for help. Neighbors and good friends, Jim Bareis and his girlfriend, Jeanne Sozio, who have knowledge and experience in the area, worked with Bilak to get the video done, she said.

Bareis has a college degree in communications and is the television services coordinator at SUNY Brockport. He has worked at the college for almost 10 years.

Bilak said people vote for the videos online and the top three voted for will carry the Olympic torch. There are five finalist from the United States and Bilak said she is the only one from New York. She said the group started working on the video about 9 a.m. on a Saturday and finished it about 3 a.m. on Sunday morning.

"We wrote it, shot it, and edited it in one day," Bareis said. "It was great."

Bilak said she was also fortunate that Bareis is a musician and allowed her to use some of his music to avoid copyright rules. If Bilak's video places in the top three, she is currently in fourth place, she will leave for Greece in March to begin the carrying of the torch.

The Olympics begin June 8, 2008 in Beijing.

Bilak said she is just happy that her life's work and the fact that she keeps up on the ever-growing technology has given her this opportunity.

"I would like to go represent educators and the work we do for the future. Technology is the wave of the future," she said. "Kids are going to walk into a totally different environment than what I walked into and I think it's important for them to realize that the world is not as far away as they think it is."

Bareis, who has known Bilak for about six years, said he believes she should carry the torch because of the relationship she has with not only him and his girlfriend Sozio, but those at the Roth Middle School.

"We couldn't have a better neighbor and friend," he said. "I see for a fact she has a tremendous amount of respect from her students and fellow faculty. It would be fantastic if she had the chance to do this."

Lenovo is an international laptop company out of China. It is the first Chinese company to partner with the Olympics, according to the company's Web site.

The deadline for people to vote is Wednesday, Oct. 24. Go to newthinkers.lenovo.com to vote. However, Bilak said due to Internet server problems, the voting may be extended until Oct. 31. She said she has been told by contest officials that it is the first time this type of contest has taken place.

Bilak said she would be honored to represent the U.S. in Beijing and that the Olympics has always been a special event for her.

"I'm still the kind of person who gets teary eyed at the beginning and end of the games," she said. "To see all these countries in one place and to know they are the best of all we are as people just makes me proud."

Renee Taylor can be reached at (585) 394-0770, Ext. 238, or at rtaylor@mpnewspapers.com.