Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/437000
WINTER 2014 | WEAnews 14 Locals Around the State Hold Candidate Forums and Receptions Everywhere from Goshen to Sweetwater to Crook counties, your local associations did their best to not only inform WEA members, but also folks in the general public, of candidates running for state and local offices. Sweetwater County Associations held their reception, as they do every election cycle, with a great turnout from members and candidates. There, Senator Bernadine Craft, who is also a WEA member, addressed attendees about her first term as their senator. Forums and receptions are easy ways to inform members and the public of what a candidate's platforms are around issues in your local area or facing Wyoming as a whole. Whether it's your local school board or a legislative office, those elected policymakers affect your careers well beyond the classroom. Believe it or not, the next election is right around the corner, and WEA has many avenues to assist you in starting a forum in your local area. Please contact your UniServ Director for any information regarding a candidate forum or meet-and-greet for the next election. WEA member and teacher at Casper's alternative high school, Roosevelt High School, Susan Griffith finds ways to teach kids to care about democracy. "And it's hard," she said. "Teaching kids who want to learn is easy; teaching kids to want to learn is hard." Griffith said by the time students leave her class, they know how important our democracy is, and especially local politics. Susan was nominated for the Alpha Delta Kappa Excellence in Education Award by fellow teachers and ADK members. She won the state and regional awards, and now faces eight other teachers for the national title. "It's pretty cool to be nominated," she said. "I'm humbled, but I know I'm a good teacher. I'm where I belong." Nominee and fellow WEA member Mary Semino has worked with Griffith for 23 years and said, "Susan expects her students to become citizens, not simply high school graduates. I was both humbled and inspired by Susan's wealth of knowledge and understanding of the impact and relation of events worldwide." Alpha Delta Kappa is an international honorary organization of women educators dedicated to educational excellence, altruism and world understanding. For more information about the award, visit alphadeltakappa.org. WEA Member Is Finalist for National Award