Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/543920
14 Summer 2015 | AEA Advocate ESPecially for Kids Award winner ESP Action Be sure to check out these other stories for more opportunities to get involved and take action. 6 At the Capitol 39 AEA Members Vote 40 Sign Up for AEA Legislative Update ESProfessional For over twenty years, cyndi tercero has been a champion for public education and at-risk youth. As the Dropout Prevention Programs Coordinator for Phoenix Union High School District and in her numerous volunteer efforts, Cyndi has helped countless students stay engaged in school so they will graduate with a high school diploma in hand. Through her work, Cyndi has created and implemented programs for high-risk youth who face difficult life circumstances to help them overcome barriers to graduation. She is a steering committee member for Degree Phoenix, which is a collaborative partnership working through a collective impact model to increase Latino Student Success in Arizona. The partnership vision is to increase education attainment, degree completion, and opportunities for high-wage jobs for Latino youth through collaborative system-wide innovation. Cyndi chairs the Collaborative Action Team and has spearheaded the implementation of the Arizona College Application Campaign and FAFSA completion events throughout Phoenix Union High School District. She organized community partners to volunteer to attend these events and assist students and families with both their college applications and FAFSA. This year Phoenix Union High School District realized seven percent more completed college applications during the month of the campaign than any other local high school district who participated. The FAFSA completion rate for the district has also increased by 12 percent since the she implemented this project. Cyndi has invested a significant portion of her time to the Teen Maze program, which brings attention to the teen pregnancy crisis issue in our communities. Teen Maze allows students to use critical thinking skills when making decisions regarding sexual activity. The students Cyndi Tercero Phoenix Union Classified Employee Association navigate their way through a life-size maze in which they see the possible consequences associated with the decisions about whether or not to have sex or use birth control. Cyndi was nominated for the "Everyday Hero's Award" after she was featured in a news story by the "Cox After the Bell" program. Cyndi chairs the High School Graduation Team for Thriving Together as part of a national initiative to improve academic and non- academic youth outcomes and prepare students for college and career. Thriving Together requires cross-sector collaboration from partners in education, business, faith-based, non-profits and the broader community to set birth to career goals and create a civic infrastructure to achieve those goals. Cyndi also oversees alternatives to suspension programs for her district and facilitates the mandated intervention groups that provide a safe place for students to learn resiliency techniques and receiving support in areas such as decision making, self esteem, anger management, substance abuse, communication, and positive choices. The goal is to decrease Phoenix Union CEA President Tom Oviatt presents the ESPecially for Kids Award to Cyndi Tercero. Continues on p. 38.