Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/389203
4 Special Election Edition 2014 x AEA Advocate This Is Your AEA Your work in public education probably requires you to wear many hats and function in several roles. As your professional organization, AEA serves a number of roles as well, all in its commitment to supporting you personally and professionally. While you are busy delivering on the promise of a Quality Public Education for Every Child, the AEA is holding up our share in helping you to deliver that promise. More than ever, this is your AEA. This is your AEA, activating young members by engaging them in leadership; helping them to network together, so that the professional educator voice is as strong tomorrow as it is today. The AEA eSWAG group has done tremendous work in engaging young members and activating them within the Association. You can read on page 14 about their most recent work at the second annual Educator Bazaar. This is your AEA, developing strong leadership capacity in our members so that teachers, bus drivers, or librarians—educators in all roles—can explore the policy, practice, or union leader within them. The business of leaders is not to create followers but leadership in others. In July, hundreds of member leaders attended the AEA Summer Institute (page 16) to gain the knowledge and skills they need to grow their local association's leadership and organizing capacity. This is your AEA, seizing the enormous significance of an election and the opportunity at our hands to elect those who will respect, honor, and support the work we do. With a pro-public education base in our legislature and state offices, the daily successes that our members achieve will occur in partnership with a Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Legislature, not in spite of them. We have a responsibility this election to support those candidates who support public schools. I encourage you to check out our recommended candidates on page 21. This is your AEA, building a connection with our ethnic minority communities, who are so reliant on public education, to bring relationships and understanding about what public education truly is to a broader audience. The AEA Latino Outreach Cadre is doing exciting work that will have long-term gains for the Association, neighborhood public schools, and the communities they impact. Read more about this work on page 18. This is your AEA. This is your organization, made up of members like you, with values like yours, working together to make all of our voices stronger and more effective, as we create the world we want for our students, our families, and ourselves. Andrew F. Morrill, President Arizona Education Association The AEA Advocate is published by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532. Phone: 602-264-1774 or 800-352-5411 Fax: 602-240-6887 Email: sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org. AEA's website may be found at www.arizonaea.org. Permission to reprint any material originating with this publication is granted provided that credit is given to the AEA Advocate. The AEA Advocate (ISSN 0194-8849) is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer for $3.50 per year by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the AEA Advocate, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. POINT OF VIEW by Andrew F. Morrill AEA OFFICERS Andrew F. Morrill President Joe Thomas Vice-President Nidia Lias Treasurer AEA STAFF Mark Simons Executive Director Sheenae Shannon Editor Penny Skubal Graphic Design Advertising Nancy Hall Editorial Associate - 9