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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 2001

NEWS RELEASE

Random Acts of Kindness

NEA Convention Keynote Spotlights Seven Members Who Have Made a Difference

Los Angeles - What do 23 million paper clips, a donated kidney, and Vegas dancers have in common? They all are symbols of the difference that seven individuals have made in their schools, communities, and beyond, which will be the focus of National Education Association (NEA) President Bob Chase's keynote address before the organization's 139th annual meeting at the Los Angeles Convention Center on July 4, 2001. These heroes' stories, according to Chase, will be a reminder to the more than 10,000 NEA members attending the Association's Representative Assembly that "their contributions do make a difference - every day - in students' lives."

From Oprah to the school newspaper, these heroes, says Chase, have been recognized for doing what often goes unnoticed in schools all over the country. "We want to remind convention delegates - and others - that these quiet acts of heroism can sometimes be what drives our children to succeed."

Those being spotlighted by Chase include:

California Teacher Fights for Clean Schools
As a teacher at Gulf Elementary School in the impoverished community of Wilmington, CA, Thomas Ibarra took action after watching his students navigate their way through a playground littered with broken beer bottles, cigarettes, and bullets, and classrooms infested with rodents. Over the objections of some of his colleagues, Ibarra was one of the first teachers to join the ACLU's lawsuit against the state of California over inequities in school funding.

Tennessee Teachers Clip Prejudice with After-School Activity
In 1998, David Smith, assistant principal, history teacher, and football coach at Whitwell (TN) Middle School, convinced some colleagues that they should do something to expand their students' horizons. The result: an after-school, voluntary project about the Holocaust and the prejudice and ignorance that lead to it. Now the most favored after-school activity, taught every year by Sandra Roberts, students compete to enroll. A project of collecting six million paper clips, representing the number of Jews who perished in the Holocaust, has lead to a total of 23 million paper clips that have come from all over the world.

PE Teacher Gives Gift of Life
A physical education teacher at Hockanum Elementary School in East Hartford, CT, David Bocchichio, gave the most precious gift of all to the mother of three of his former students. When Evelyn Arroya, who was battling kidney disease, learned that none of her relatives was a compatible kidney donor, Bocchichio stepped forward as a volunteer and turned out to be a perfect match.

Oregon Bus Driver Steers Community to Victory
Living in the community where she works put Lebanon, OR, school bus driver Janis Eggert in the perfect position to fight - and lead others to the cause - for a school construction bond campaign. Eggert successfully organized phone banks and went door-to-door to sway voters. The result: a 60 percent voter turnout with 54 percent voting in support of the bond issue.

Nevada Teacher Increases Self Esteem with Dance
As director of the Madison Movement program at Madison Elementary School in Las Vegas, Rhonda Simmons combined her talents as both a counselor and a choreographer. The dance troop she started offers an at-risk community the opportunity for creative expression, increased parental involvement, and heightened student self esteem.

Connecticut Teacher Outfits Students for Success
Marion Galbraith, a language arts and social studies teacher in Groton, CT, has a mission: to make sure that young black men achieve their potential. Two years ago, an offer of extra help to her students blossomed into a full-blown project. Through grants from the Groton Education Association, Galbraith has started a meal program and organized clothing drives so that her students have proper attire for their college interviews.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.