Outreach to Teach

A honeymoon cruise to the Grand Cayman Islands or resurfacing asphalt at an elementary school? For newlywed Erica Jarmon, a first-grade teacher at Gotwals Elementary School in Norristown, Pennsylvania, it was actually an easy decision. “I got married two days ago,” Jarmon said, “but when I heard Outreach to Teach was coming to our school, I had to stay.”

This year, more than 300 NEA members—including Student, Retired, Higher Education, and Education Support Professional members—participated in the summer event that has become one of the most popular adjuncts of NEA’s annual Representative Assembly. Volunteers grabbed mops, paintbrushes, hammers, and shovels to clean the school, paint murals, decorate bulletin boards, and put up retaining walls. Yvette Rios, set designer for the hit daytime show Rachael Ray, turned a lackluster teacher’s lounge into a stunning retreat. The most critical renovation was the landscaping transformation of 20,000 square feet of hard asphalt into a soft, verdant lawn. “Now the children have a safe place to play and learn,” said a grateful Principal Maryanne Hoskins, who plans to add outdoor weather and music stations. NEA Student Chairperson Anthony Daniels commended his fellow Student Program members. “They’re creating an environment where students can learn—in and outside of the classroom,” he said.