Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/175002
eSWAG By Greg Herold Membership Organizing Specialist Hoping for 200 participants from the Phoenix region, eSWAG easily topped this mark. Music, food, and prize drawings were added to the day's activities to create a festive atmosphere. While it took a huge amount of effort, participants were ecstatic to leave the Bazaar with a tremendous amount of educational materials, the value of which in some cases easily surpassed the cost of their AEA membership dues. Welcome Back To School & Don't Forget To HYDRATE! After the Bazaar, the WEA team was able to sit in on the eSWAG debrief session, which our team found to be of great value. To say it was an "honest" debrief would be an understatement. eSWAG members held each other and the AEA staff and elected officers to a high level of accountability and did not mince words when it came time to review. This blunt assessment is typical of the eSWAG group and has helped keep them on an active course through their activities. The discussion from this group forms the basis of the next action taken by eSWAG. This group was likewise forthright in sharing information throughout the day as we questioned them on how their group came to be, the challenges they face, and how the group attempts to advance public education in Arizona. For example, while eSWAG members are part of the AEA, when in schools or public settings, these members refer to themselves as "eSWAG who are here representing AEA." eSWAG has their own "branding" in that they have their own color scheme, leadership structure, tee shirts, etc., all of which serve to strengthen the collectiveness of this group. Their AEA staff liaison is outgoing and actively involved in their activities, but it is the core of active members of eSWAG that determines the direction of the group. In all aspects, the WEA Millennial Team found this trip to be invaluable as we move towards a Millennial Organizing Cadre of our own. We came away with a variety of ideas but focused on the one point stressed to us by Sandy and Eden, the eSWAG leaders: to build the team first, discard any member who won't remain active, and then engage in those activities of value. AQUAVISTA is drawn from deep in the Madison formation at the base of the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. th Water is eb p ti o e st o n st f or yd ! A Wyoming Company proud to support Wyoming's Educators! PURITY AT ITS FINEST QUALITY AT ITS BEST BACK TO SCHOOL 2013 BTS 2013.indd 7 ay h ing d ate r | wyoea.org 7 9/17/13 6:47 PM