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WE ARE AEA! • WE ARE AEA! • WE ARE AEA! • WE ARE AEA! giLBERt EA mEmBER Wins ABRAhAm LincoLn FELLoWship Principal Chad Fitzgerald called an un- scheduled 7:00 a.m. staff meeting as a ruse to surprise Larry Dexter, history teacher at Canyon Valley School, who has been selected as the Horace Mann-Abraham Lincoln Fellowship award winner from Arizona for 2011. Steve Edman of Horace Mann Companies brought morning treats for staff, as he is accustomed to doing when he visits Gilbert public schools, and then made the announcement. Dexter could not have been more surprised. For the sixth consecutive year, Horace Mann Companies and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, which is located in Springfield, Illinois, teamed up to award 50 teachers a fellowship to study the life and legacy of America’s 16th president. The fellowships are being awarded to teach- ers across the country and includes round-trip transportation, lodging, and most meals. This year’s class of fellows will participate in work- shops, travel to various historic sites, and attend special events throughout the five-day institute, which is held in June and July. Teachers applied online and were judged on their resume and es- say question responses. Horace Mann was not directly involved with the judging. The program was open to educators in every state except for: Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii. On receiving this award, Dexter said, “Lincoln has al- ways been an inspiration to me because he was able to overcome so many challeng- es in his life. On the 150th anniversary of the Civil War many people are rediscover- ing the greatness of Lincoln, his foresight, and his leadership during one of the darkest periods of American history. It is a real honor to be selected as Arizona’s repre- sentative for the Horace Mann- Abraham Lincoln Fellowship. I en- courage all teachers in our district to apply for these national programs and to experience our history first hand. These kinds of experiences can make your history classes come to life for the students! That’s what it is all about.” ✒ “I encourage all teachers in our district to apply for these national programs and to experience our history first hand.” —Larry Dexter, Gilbert EA Larry Dexter, left, is de- lighted to receive this fellowship, presented by Steve Edman. mARAnA EA mEmBER nAmEd to nAtionAL AccREditAtion committEE Marana EA President Nicole Cozad was recently selected to serve as a NEA National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Appeals Committee member. NCATE, a national accreditation body comprised of teachers, teacher educators, government policy mak- ers, and specialized professional associations is supported by over 35 national professional education and public organizations. NCATE accredits more than 60 percent of all teacher preparation institutions in the United States. “I am very honored by this selection,” says Cozad. “To know that I am one of only five teachers nationwide to serve on this committee is amazing.” Cozad is an English teacher at Marana High School and has been teaching for fifteen years. She will serve a three-year term on the committee. Through the process of profes- sional accreditation of schools, colleges, and departments of education, NCATE works to make a difference in the quality of teach- ing and teacher preparation today, tomorrow, and for the next cen- tury. NCATE’s performance-based system of accreditation fosters competent classroom teachers and other educa- tors who work to improve the education of all PreK-12 students. NCATE believes every student deserves a caring, competent, and highly quali- fied teacher. ✒ AEA Advocate ❘ Fall 2011 29