Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/801759
Arabic handwriting, as well as student demos from Irish, Egyptian, Kenyan cultures and an impromptu hip hop dance demo were also highlights. Attendants said they had an amazing time eating, dancing, and singing to the music; they also enjoyed meeting new kids at lunch even though it was a bit awkward some admitted. Sapakie stated, "SPARK activities like the fest and guest speakers bring our campus together and infuse strong school pride within our students while building empathy. SPARK is about everything that is good in people." As SPARK works to grow its message, acts of bullying are being reduced as an open mindset is promoted. Sapakie affirms, "We encourage open conversation and feature events that reassure civil discourse. Our goal is to make all students feel welcome and safe on campus." SPARK members are wearing safety pins to show they are "safe to talk to allies" of the students who have suffered verbal harassment on campus. This symbol of reassurance offers support in uncertain times. Due to an increased demand for tolerance training and empathy enhancement, Sapakie has submitted a proposal to teach SPARK as a class, so students can receive more guidance and support in order to promote attitudes of respect and kindness to all. 30 ADVOCATE | SPRING 2017 "I rejoined the union because I believe that with the power of numbers behind us we could fight for better teacher pay, bring down our class sizes, get special training in various professional development areas, and much more," Daily says. "I joined because I also cared about my colleagues. I hated seeing first year teachers leaving because they couldn't make ends meet money-wise or they didn't feel welcomed or supported. I joined to make a difference for those teachers so they will stay! I was born and raised in Yuma and it is a beautiful place to live, teach and raise a family." He talks to new educators about his own struggles with mortgage payments and the rising cost of groceries, but tells them he still pays his membership dues to belong to something bigger and to make an investment in his profession. New Teachers Need More Support When it comes to the top priority of new educators, Daily says most people assume it's salary, but he believes they'd choose more support over higher pay. "We don't go into this profession for the money. I think the main issue challenging our new educators is they're not feeling supported," he says. "I think our new educators want to feel like they belong here and have friends who are colleagues and can understand the same problems and successes that they are going through." That's why he and his fellow YUEA members connect with each other and new educators at a personal level. It develops friendships, which is what Daily says a union is all about. "We look out for each other and back each other up. We pick each other up during tough days, and we're also here to celebrate the great days. With this kind of connection, new educators feel wanted and will join our union because they want what we have—a family." Faith Risolo, an organizational consultant with the Arizona Education Association (AEA), worked closely with Daily and the other leaders of the YUEA. She says that what Daily and his colleagues are doing to recruit new members is working. She calls it the relational approach. "Introductions are made at the building level and then new educators are invited to socials. Everyone brings along a colleague who might be interested in joining and they share stories and talk about the work of the union over quesadillas and beer," she says. "It's a young, energetic group. The oldest member is 42!" Risolo says there is a "ton of turnover" in Yuma because of low pay but also because of where it is. Some of the schools in the district sit right on the border of Mexico and many English Language Learning (ELL) students are still learning how to ask to go to the bathroom in English, let alone learning to read in English. Some educators work in farming communities with migrant populations. Students from the first quarter will suddenly disappear as they move with their parents to where crops are coming in, only to reappear in January. In classes sometimes as large as 40 students, it's very hard to help returning students catch up. Nevertheless, she says the new teachers see themselves vested in the students they teach and in the community and they want to stay, but they need better working conditions. "Without organizing that's not just going to happen," says Risolo. The turnover had gotten so bad that at the end of the school year, many students were asking teachers if they were coming back in the fall. In communities where home lives aren't always stable, students must have a sense of stability at school, says Daily. "We need to be there for them year after year," he says. "The best way to keep our teachers here is to support them, and we do that by having a strong and loud voice. The best way to have that voice is by growing the membership of the union." Daily says YUEA is like a freight train. "We're going in a positive direction and it's getting heavier every day with new members joining. If you don't want to join us, get off the tracks because we want only teachers who care about their profession, each other, and our students." Not only do the new YUEA members have a safe zone where they can talk candidly about their struggles and feel supported, they are continually learning about their career through professional development programs offered by their YUEA colleagues, with everything from classroom management and supporting ELL students to bullying prevention and navigating the evaluation system. More opportunities arise as new YUEA leaders emerge. "This is a local NEA affiliate being energized by new teachers seeking a community of support and professionalism, and they are spreading the word to others," says Risolo, who calls Yuma her happy place. "They're message is simple: Take a chance with us, and let's make a difference in public education." Local Perspective, continued from p. 21. Social Justice, continued from p. 22. n n