Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/543920
38 Summer 2015 | AEA Advocate found this desire in me to enliven student's lives. To watch that spark of AhhhhhHA! occur on a daily basis. What I didn't realize was that spark was occurring in me too and it made me want to work even harder, but I didn't see it as work. It was a journey. A mutual journey between myself and my students, between myself and my daughter, between myself and my parents and sister, and my wonderful, understanding, supportive husband (who too coaches kids and works in education), not to mention the great support of the parents and colleagues I worked alongside. After twenty years being in the classroom, behind the high school stage, at other school's classrooms and auditoriums cheering for my students, and on the phone talking to parents, I am driven to do more for education. Now I am becoming a teacher leader. I am now going to my local MEA meetings. I am now at the AEA Delegate Assembly and working with the Teacher Leadership Institute (TLI), wanting to do even more for education and our public schools than I ever had before. Crazily, there are people out there that tell me I do too much. To them I say, THERE IS REALLY NEVER TOO MUCH we can do fo r our students, family, city, state, and future. I could not continue to have a burning passion to strive for all I can do in education without the support of my family and all of my past and present students. I can never see me outside of education – teaching – trying to make a positive difference in all of our lives. n Write us! Readers are encouraged to state opinions or make comments in letters that will be considered for publication in this column. The editor reserves the right to edit lengthy letters representing a balance of viewpoints. Generally, letters will not be published without the names of their writers and local associations. Send letters to: "Member Talk" AEA Advocate 345 East Palm Lane Phoenix, AZ 85004. Email: sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org. Continued from p. 5. Continued from p. 14. MEMBEr TALK MEMBEr TALK MEMBEr TALK MEMBEr TALK MEMBEr TALK ESProfessional V o I C E Y o u r V I E W S the number of off campus suspension days that students receive while also addressing the root cause of the behaviors. Phoenix Union's number of repeat offenders has decreased over the last 5 years and the completion rates for their mandated interventions have increased. Outside of school, Cyndi volunteers her time to a number of community outreach programs that strengthen her community, builds coalitions between communities and their neighborhood schools, and connects parents to available community resources. Cyndi provides many volunteer hours working with the Friendly House, serving Arizona residents by providing tools, training, and support needed to attain self-suffi ciency. Cyndi has been a member of the scholarship selection committee for several years. Through her work with families, Cyndi assists them with social service programs to ensure they have food boxes and shelter. She also serves as a member of the planning committee for the Fiesta de Friendly House, their largest annual fundraising events, to provide numerous scholarships to fi rst generation students. In addition, she serves as a mentor for their Scholars Program to assist incoming freshman who will attend one of the ten Maricopa Community College District schools. She meets weekly with her mentee to provide guidance and support as well as expose the young adult to cultural diversity programs and the arts. Cyndi is also an advocate for her profession and colleagues. She serves as Vice President of the Phoenix Union High School District Classifi ed Employee Association and is a member of the AEA Latino Outreach Cadre. In honor of her service, the ASU Hispanic Mother Daughter Program awarded Cyndi with the "Community Excellence Award." Cyndi received the Phoenix College Golden Bear President's Partnership Award for K-12 School Colleague in May of 2013. She was also recognized by Phoenix Union High School District as the Employee of Year for Special Achievement in 2013 and was honored at a District Convocation, which was the fi rst time that a classifi ed employee had been recognized for special achievement. AEA is proud to honor Cyndi Tercero with the ESPecially for Kids Award for her dedication to Keeping the Promise of Quality Public Education. n