"When I first arrived on my college campus, I connected with members of the Student NCAE by chance.
That one chance encounter quickly led me into a world of opportunities. The most impactful I found was meeting pre-service educators from all over through the NEA Aspiring Educators Program.
I’ve taken all of these experiences with me. I’m just a few weeks into my first year as a teacher. Pre-pandemic, I was expecting to interact with my students, face-to-face on the first day of school, and have more of a personal interaction with them. I expected it to be stressful, but a different kind of stress. The reality was more hectic.
All of my students didn’t have devices from the start, and while my county was working on getting them devices, there were still a lot of technology issues, as well as trying to reach families to make sure they were on track with what we were doing in the classroom.
I certainly feel like my union has been there every step of the way. They’ve given me the tools I need to get through these difficult times. Throughout the pandemic, they’re working to hold decision-makers accountable to ensure that when we return to in-person instruction it’s safe for us and our students.
I’m confident in not just my abilities, but in my support system. I can reach out to a large network of educators throughout the country and from every level of the profession who have my back.
The union has been one of the biggest influences in my career.
It’s so much more than a membership fee for insurance. You become part of this huge family of educators who are there to support you and love you.
I've never experienced that sort of support. It’s unexplainable. They’re there to help, to fight for public education, to help me be a better educator, and help our students no matter what.
Together there’s nothing we can’t do."
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