This Active Life September 2002

A Message from the President

Educators have always looked at Fall as a new beginning. For teachers and ESP, Fall traditionally brings with it new groups of students and parents, new colleagues--and new opportunities to make a fresh start. I bet that most of you, who are so active in tutoring, mentoring, or otherwise participating in supporting your local schools, have never lost touch with the seasonal magic that comes with the beginning of a new school year.
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Letters

A retired teacher with forty years of experience asks about pension/labor laws that protect retirees from receiving less in benefits than other retirees who've had shorter periods of service.
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Member Profiles

Stephen Smallwood teaches high school speech, debate, and drama in the Broken Bow Public Schools in Southeastern Oklahoma. In addition, he currently servs as mayor of his small town.
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Cover Story

Caught between fixed incomes and rising expenses, many retirees are struggling to keep pace.
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People

Michigan member Paul Grein, a sports official for 40 years, agrees that devotees of this avocation must share a love for the sport, the willingness to be out of the limelight, and thick skins.
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News Briefs

A record number of attendees at the NEA-Retired Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas elected new officers, raised money for the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, and heard from experts on such issues as pensions and healthy lifestyles.
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10 Minute Activist

Early retirement incentives often are incorporated into a qualified defined benefit plan as early retirement benefits. Under present law, such early retirement benefits are treated as not violating the age discrimination rules or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
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My Contributions

"They're the source of inspiration for me," Pennsylvania member Wilson Foust says of the students whom he has mentored. A testament to tenacity and the American dream, the students--all of Asian background and with limited English skills--came to Foust in middle or high school. Today, those students are attending quality postsecondary institutions with challenging majors and graduating with lucrative job offers.
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Ask the Expert

Avoiding Fraud and Con Artists
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Travel

Washington member Gordon Warren and his wife Judy found a way to save money while seeing the world.
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Books

These new releases can help you with retirement finances or travel--or provide a fresh perspective on 'aging well.
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