Reaching Out

Student members get down and dirty at Outreach to Teach.

When it comes to school improvement, NEA members aren't afraid to get their hands dirty.

Residents of Garyville, Louisiana, witnessed that first hand last June when nearly 300 members spent a day cleaning, painting, and planting at the St. John Child Development Center. The event, known as Outreach to Teach, targets a different high-needs school each year in the host city for the NEA Representative Assembly (RA).

"It's an exceptional experience where soon-to-be teachers, current teachers, ESPs, and retirees can truly make a difference," says Dawn Shephard, chairperson of the NEA Student Program, which sponsors the event. "Whenever we do something to advance a school, we make the community better and that enhances the level of education the students receive."

For seven hours, the volunteers painted classrooms and hallways; planted trees, flowers, and shrubs; decorated bulletin boards; organized storage areas; and even created a teachers' lounge at the school, which is located about 30 miles from New Orleans.

"It will be refreshing for the students to come into a new environment," says April Chen, an elementary education major at the University of Illinois at Champagne. "When they come to school it's like home, so it should be a place they enjoy."

The program benefits the preservice teachers as well by providing hands-on experience in a school and connecting them with students and parents in the community.

"They see that you're not just a teacher in the classroom Monday through Friday," says Laquitta Walker, a Student Program member at Georgia Perimeter College. "They see you as someone who cares about their neighborhood."

Outreach to Teach started in 1996, when a group of 35 Student Program leaders organized a school beautification project during the Student Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then, attendees of the annual Student and NEA-Retired conferences, along with other NEA members, have volunteered at a local school during the week preceding the RA.

All schools chosen for the project qualify as Priority Schools or have other tremendous needs, says Malcolm Staples, organizational specialist for the NEA Student Program. Through its Priority Schools Initiative, NEA provides resources and support to low-performing schools. At the St. John Child Development Center, which serves 250 preschool students, 99 percent of the children participate in the federal free and reduced price breakfast and lunch programs.

By improving the school environment, beautifying the grounds, and enhancing the appearance of the facility, Outreach to Teach builds morale, which ultimately impacts student achievement, Staples says. The program works with community members and local affiliates of the Urban League, NAACP, the National Council of La Raza, and the Organization of Chinese Americans as well to gain support for the project and maintain the facility improvements, Staples says. The Parent Teacher Association at the St. John Child Development Center also committed to maintaining the improvements, he adds.

Outreach to Teach helped N.W. Harllee Elementary School in Dallas, Texas, during the 2002 RA. Since then, the Texas State Teachers Association has supported the school, which has become a popular after-school playground for children in the area. This summer, volunteers will target a school in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area during the 2004 Student Leadership Conference.

"It's a great program to get out in the community and help schools that really need it," says Mike Mackie, an elementary education major from Eastern Connecticut State University. "If teachers participate more in projects like this it will spread the word. And maybe all those schools that really need the help will get it."

—Kristen Loschert

Do you have CLASS?

Make an impact on your local community with a CLASS grant (Community Learning through America's SchoolS). CLASS outreach projects address a specific community need and involve a local NEA Student Program chapter and a preK-12 teacher, education support professional, higher education, or retired affiliate. The NEA Student Program will provide up to $1,000 to chapters who help launch CLASS projects in their communities. Want more info? Contact Malcolm Staples at 202/822-7123 or e-mail him at mstaples@nea.org.

Get That Project Started

Thinking about organizing your own Outreach to Teach event? Then check out these tips from Kelly Torgerson, past chairperson of the Student North Dakota Education Association (SNDEA). During her tenure as state chair, Torgerson organized SNDEA's first Outreach project.

• Start early. Commitment from members could take some time, even if they really want to get involved with a project.
• Once members have committed, find out how many will come. This will give you a general idea about how much food, supplies, and equipment you'll need.
• If you are the chairperson of the event, delegate responsibilities. Designate a food manager, a supplies manager, and a public relations manager, for instance.
• Seek out donations from local businesses. See if a sandwich shop in your area will support your cause by donating lunch, or if a hardware store will donate paint, garbage bags, brushes, or other supplies.
• Remember to breathe and enjoy the planning of your event! You are doing a valuable thing for the community, and it will be a truly gratifying experience!