Retired educators have a longstanding tradition of helping future educators and during the NEA-Retired annual meeting, held last summer in Minneapolis, three NEA Aspiring Educators were awarded $2,500 each through the Jack Kinnaman Scholarship Fund.
Kinnaman, who died in 2002, was an NEA-Retired vice presient and former advisory council member who was passionate about supporting the next generaton of educators.
The scholarship helps to alleviate some college costs, which allows the future educators to focus less on paying for school and more on preparing to enter the profession and being involved in their student chapters.
Like their predecessors, the 2018 recipients excel as students, peers, and leaders within their respective schools and associations. Here’s a look at what makes them so great and deserving of the Kinnaman award.
Allison Erck, University of Wisconsin—Whitewater
Major: Elementary Education/Minor in Special Education
Within two years, Allison Erck has accomplished a lot. Today, she is the president of the Local University of Wisconsin-Whitewater chapter.
Before, she was the chapter’s secretary, and coordinated fundraising and community outreach. Erck is active in her state association, too, serving on the state executive board as a co-professional development coordinator, and for NEA.
She also carries 16 to 18 credits each semester and works three jobs. Erck says, “I’ve gained so many important skills that have helped me grow as a leader, and I’m able to share those skills with our members and provide them with opportunities to volunteer and grow professionally.” Erck says the Kinnaman award will “allow me to put more focus into my studies and into developing important experiences that will help shape me into a phenomenal teacher in the future.”
Casey Lavallee, University of Central Florida
Major: Elementary Education
Nearly four years ago, Casey Lavallee became involved in her local chapter as a freshman. “I went to a meeting at my university, and I knew right away that I was meant to be an active NEA member,” says the now senior. She’s been active ever since, attending professional development workshops, participating in community service, and networking with her peers. Lavallee is also president of her local chapter, where she’s been involved in activities like a college-wide collection of non-perishable food, toiletries and box tops for a high school with a high homeless student population. On campus, she put together a scholastic book fair that helped aspiring educators build their classroom libraries. She also established a Little Free Library in an Orlando park to give children access to books.
“Becoming a member of the NEA Aspiring Educators program has been the most influential decision of my college career. I plan to continue being a union member as a student and as an educator in order to do what’s best for my students and for my profession.”
Tori Mitchell, Kansas State University
Major: Secondary Education, Social Studies with a dual major in History
Tori Mitchell has earned the high praises of professors at Kansas State University, where she’s been referred to as a “globally-minded leader who cultivates the potential in others” and as “someone who pushes the profession to a higher level.” The praise isn’t just talk. As president of the Kansas NEA Student Program, and one of three Aspiring Educator NEA directors, Mitchell can be seen at monthly executive board meetings demonstrating strong leadership abilities and guidance.
On campus, she works to recruit new college students into the profession and ensures that members get the most out of their affiliation with the organization. “Membership is about professional growth in educator quality, community engagement, political action, and social justice—things that will make us better educators and improve the state of our profession,” Mitchell says. Her passion and commitment to education has gone abroad, too. During her freshman year, Mitchell provided the critical research and analysis for a literacy initiative called Ethiopia Reads, a U.S.-based project that helps Ethiopian communities build a culture of reading through the development of local libraries, literacy curriculum, teacher professional development, and access to reading and writing materials.
HOW TO APPLY:
Complete the NEA-Retired Jack Kinnaman Scholarship Application at nea.org/kinnaman.
TO QUALIFY:
Applicant must be an NEA Aspiring Educator member who meets all of the application criteria. All items for the scholarship application must be submitted as one pack- age including application, recommendation letters, and an official university or college transcript. Submission must include all the required materials by the deadline date in one inclusive package. Submissions that are incomplete or not received by the deadline will be disqualified.
DEADLINES:
Applications submitted by first class mail must be postmarked by April 15, 2019. If submitted by overnight courier, the submission package must be received by April 15, 2019. Electronic application submissions are not permitted.
MAIL TO:
NEA, Governance and Policy 1201 16th St. N.W., 8th Floor Washington, DC 20036
Attn: The NEA-Retired Jack Kinnaman Memorial Scholarship
