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SCTA Newsletter'Hook Up' Partner More. Recruit Less.
By Casey Hansen, Executive Vice President The NEA Student Program Connections Conference was held November 9-11, 2001 in St. Louis, Missouri. The theme for this year's conference was 'Hook up! Partner more. Recruit less.' The purpose of this partnership initiative is to promote the development of cooperative relationships between student program chapters on college campuses with local associations near those campuses. Through partnerships, future teachers can connect with experienced teachers and association leaders. Over 250 student members representing 37 states participated in the conference. The California delegation consisted of LaShay Roberts (SCTA President), Casey Hansen (SCTA Executive Vice President), Rudy Jimenez Ortiz (SCTA Ethnic Minority Representative) Sophia Monroy (NEA Resolutions Committee/CSU Sacramento Chapter President), Karen Piepmeier (UC Santa Barbara Chapter Advisor), Ann Shadwick (CTA Board of Directors) and Gail Watts (SCTA Coordinator). Workshops at the conference tapped into many issues effecting classroom teachers nationwide and included dealing with bullies, gay and lesbian issues, teaching worldwide, art in the classroom, English as a second language and many others. During the first night of the conference, participants were treated to a riverboat cruise down the Mississippi river aboard the Becky Thatcher, for dinner. NEA Vice President, Reg Weaver was the keynote speaker for the evening and gave an absolutely inspiring speech to the students. After dinner and the speaker, participants were treated to a lively dance aboard the boat where students from across the country could communicate through the universal language of booty shakin'! All in all the conference was a success. It was so great to see that students are so excited about becoming teachers across the country. The idea of 'hooking up' instead of recruiting was very well received and I know that the ideas from this conference will help Student CTA as well. |