Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/154758
WE ARE AEA! • WE ARE AEA! • WE ARE AEA! • WE ARE AEA! AEA Salute to Excellence Award Winners The AEA Foundation for Teaching & Learning was created in 1997 to advance public education in Arizona. It started with only $3,000 designated for student scholarships. Today, the Foundation has generated over $1 million in income and has awarded more than $850,000 in grants throughout Arizona. The AEA and AEA Foundation for Teaching and Learning honored the following awardees on April 27, 2013. AEA Diversity Grant Julie Pallissard, Phoenix Union CTA AEA-Retired Les Reynolds Distinguished Senior Service Award Kathy Campbell, AEA-Retired Joseph Garcia Nogales High School, U of A Professional Educators of Nogales member Audrey Garcia's son AEA Promise Grant Michelle Teti, Chandler EA Teaching Teamwork through Taiko AEA LIFT Grant (Learning Improvement through Faculty Teams) Dr. Paul McElligott, Fountain Hills EA High Aerial Observation of Javelina Herds Mario Ruiz, Flowing Wells EA The Flowing Wells Junior High Student Leadership Program Nell Wilcoxen AEA Future Educator Scholarships Amanda Harbison Grand Canyon University Flowing Wells EA member Aimee Backus Flowing Wells High School, U of A Flowing Wells EA member Ronda Backus' daughter 2 California Casualty Awards Athletics Grants to Two Arizona High Schools Two Arizona high schools are getting a boost to their athletics from the California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant initiative and AEA members Chris Matthews and Brandon McNutt. They are among 85 schools in 38 states receiving a total of $101,500 for struggling athletics programs. Round Valley High School's boys' basketball program has been greatly impacted by budget cuts. Other than coach salaries, the program is entirely self-funded. Participation fees from the team members only cover transportation costs. The team has been utilizing 15-year-old uniforms. The $1,000 grant was awarded in response to the grant application submitted by Head Basketball Coach Chris Matthews to help cover the cost of new uniforms as well as purchase new basketballs. Camelback High School in Phoenix has been more fortunate than many high schools in that budget cuts have not yet diminished their ability to purchase necessary equipment for the football team. But what's become a larger issue is the ability of students who'd like to participate and can't afford it. The high cost of insurance, cleats, and uniforms – let alone the remote possibility of attending training camps – make the sport prohibitive for families that are trying to make ends meet. Coach Brandon Fall.13advo.indd 17 McNutt intends to utilize their Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant of $2,000 to assist prospective athletes who can't afford those basics. Shrinking state education budgets, pressure on schools to focus efforts on academics, and diminishing funds for athletics inspired California Casualty Chairman and CEO Beau Brown to establish the grant program in honor of his father – Chairman Emeritus Tom Brown, a lifelong athlete and sportsman. The senior Brown experienced firsthand the complementary relationship between athletics and academics. For more information about the Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant program, visit www. CalCasAthleticsGrant.com. California Casualty has been Arizona Education Association's trusted source for home and auto insurance products since 1982. Headquartered in San Mateo, CA, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado, and Kansas, California Casualty is a 99-year-old company providing auto and home insurance products to educators, law enforcement, firefighters, and nurses in 44 states. 2 Coach Chris Matthews receives $1,000 grant at the AEA Salute to Excellence awards luncheon. Learn more at www.calcas.com/aea. AEA Advocate x Fall 2013 17 8/7/13 2:35 PM