Igniting Activists

A program aimed at turning new teachers into young leaders is sparking interest in Florida.

Rokaisha Bell joined the union last year, during her first few months in a Florida high school, but wasn't sure exactly what she was getting out of it. That is, until she met NEA Executive Committee member Becky Pringle.

Last spring, Pringle chatted with 20 or so new Volusia County teachers at a three-day professional development gig facilitated by the Florida Education Association (FEA). It's called the Sparks program—for the young teachers who light up their schools and Association—and it's modeled after a very successful Washington Education Association  (WEA) program.

"It's incredible!" Pringle exclaims. "I wish we could duplicate it everywhere." As it is, this popular, but expensive, approach to developing excellent teachers and new leaders has spread from Alaska to Connecticut.

"Our younger members are telling us they care about professional issues. They want to do their jobs better," Pringle says. "Sparks focuses on giving them tools they actually can use—and they're amazed to see what the union is doing to help them meet their professional goals."

During three days—free from TV and telephones—participants learned how to keep students on task, talk effectively with parents, invest for retirement, and a great deal more about their Association. They began to feel, Bell says, "like I'm worth something. I'm not a peon—I have a voice in what's going on."

Her voice is one that the Association wants to hear more from. And it's not just because Bell is African-American, though that plays a role: In Volusia, Blacks represent a fraction of Association leadership, says Andrew Spar, Volusia Teachers Organization  president. Bell's appeal is also her youth.

"Not only do we have a million of our members retiring in the next five years, but with those members go our leaders," Pringle says. "I can't think of a state where it's not an issue."

Sparks is the answer. Designed to appeal to newer members by offering the kind of professional support they need, the program also helps them feel part of a like-minded, fun group of folks.

"They've got to find that sense of support and community, so that they enjoy the work," Pringle says. Taking on a leadership role in the union is not easy. To attract young people, "they've got to be with each other. You have to build friendships."

The Sparks program starts on a Friday—to do it right, the host Association pays for substitutes, unless the local district will ante up. Then, until Sunday, participants attend seminars, ask questions, and share their own stories.

And it takes money. The Volusia program, which focused on Black and Hispanic teachers, had a $5,000 budget, says FEA's Susan Jones. "It's probably a high-cost item for a lot of locals, but you're building leaders and activism, and you're creating a wonderful environment that is pro-union."

Since then, some "sparks" have attended FEA's summer institute, and all offered to serve on local or state committees. "Even if you get just one more involved, you're doing well," Spar says.

So count Rokaisha Bell as evidence of a job well done.

"After just these couple of days, we felt we'd known each other forever," she says. "It's kind of like a support group—we're all moving in the same direction."

—Mary Ellen Flannery