Five Aspiring Educators Win Jack Kinnaman Scholarships

The NEA-Retired Jack Kinnaman Memorial Scholarship is named after a former NEA-Retired Vice President who was a passionate advocate for students who face financial challenges. After Kinnaman died in 2002, his family honored his legacy by creating a scholarship that supports NEA Aspiring Educators (AE).

The generous support of NEA-Retired members has sustained the fund for more than 20 years. Congratulations to this year’s recipients, who were each awarded $3,500 to use toward their studies!

Jessica Bagadion

Elementary education major, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Texas

As a mother of four, a full-time student, and an education advocate, Bagadion brings relentless dedication to every space she enters. She has served as secretary and treasurer of her campus chapter of Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA); she has organized professional development sessions; and she currently serves as district president and state vice president for TSTA-AE. She was honored as her chapter’s “Outstanding Local Student Leader” and continues to advocate for equity through NEA events like the Women’s Leadership Conference. 

“Active engagement beyond the classroom is essential to ensure that all students experience a fair and equitable education,” Bagadion says.

When she enters the classroom, she is determined to model perseverance for her students and build a classroom grounded in care, justice, and community.

Aidan McKernan

Elementary education major, Pittsburg State University, Kansas

“KNEA-AE has been a lifeline for me,” says McKernan, who serves as president of the Kansas National Education Association-AE program. In that role, she has revitalized her campus chapter, creating new opportunities for member engagement, amplifying member voice, and strengthening connections between AEs and K–12 teachers. Plus, she has expanded professional development, has built a more supportive space for other future teachers, and she is a regular presence at NEA meetings and conferences.

“Education … [is] about people,” says Aidan, who plans to teach in Kansas with a focus on building a supportive and caring classroom community.

Gavin Mitsdarfer 

Secondary English and special education pre-K–12 major, Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro 

“I live by the mantra, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world,’” says Mitsdarfer, who has taken that call to heart through a wide range of NEA and Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) leadership roles. They currently hold a national position with the NEA AE program, as well as their state affiliate’s political action program. Additionally, they serve as president of Student PSEA, where they have organized statewide advocacy events and moderated educator panels. Mitsdarfer and a team of advocates successfully lobbied state legislators to secure full funding for a student teacher stipend, resulting in 3,000 future teachers earning $10,000 for their semester of student teaching. 

“Pennsylvania is known to be very split when it comes to [politics], and so building bipartisan support to pay student teachers is one of my proudest accomplishments,” Mitsdarfer says.

In their future classroom, Mitsdarfer is eager to build a classroom where students feel seen and supported, especially those navigating loss and adversity. 

Camila Rodriguez

Education major, Texas A&M University, College Station

“My involvement in NEA has opened doors I never imagined, from building community on campus to advocating at the Capitol,” says Rodriguez. As vice president of her campus chapter, called Aggie Aspiring Educators, she organizes service and professional development events for more than 30 members and fosters student engagement in statewide and national advocacy efforts. She also served as the TSTA-AE district president and has met with the lieutenant governor and top officials from the state’s education department to champion educators’ rights.

Once Rodriguez steps into her future classroom, she plans to apply what she’s learned through NEA: Foster equity and innovation, and uplift student voices.

Matthew Yuro

Triple major in special education, elementary education, and history major, The College of New Jersey, Ewing Township

“My time in the NEA student program has been nothing short of transformative for my leadership growth as an educator,” Yuro says. As vice president and former president of the New Jersey Aspiring Educators Association, he’s led advocacy campaigns for paid student teaching, certification reform, and increased pension access. He revised his campus chapter’s constitution to ensure more inclusive leadership, founded the “Pack-A-Backpack,” a school supply drive to help students in need, and created a diversity, equity, and inclusion position for his campus AE program.

With a vision for classrooms based in justice and empathy, Yuro looks forward to using this scholarship to reduce his work hours and to deepen his focus on teaching and community impact.