For those sites that have not used all their ME site funds – today Sylvia Shepard and I spent the day at Browns Valley helping out at their VTA sponsored potluck. It was fabulous!!

If you need help planning and implementing an idea for your site funds – please contact me – Sylvia and I are willing to help you put together donuts and coffee one morning, organize a potluck, or any other great idea you have .

-Alyson Brauning, your vice-president

#1-Why am I an educator?

I relish the opportunity to make a positive difference in this world by working directly with the future…our kids.It is my mission to help students find the relevance of academics in their lives,and the necessity of developing solid character traits-like a strong work ethic,grit,positive habits and attitudes,and especially the power and wisdom of respect.Helping young people learn to make a better future for themselves can only help make a better future for all of us.

#2-What do I enjoy most about my career?

There are many things I truly love about my career as a teacher,and most of them are directly related to the young people who flow through my classroom.However,knowing that what I do is truly important for each of these precious children (and for our culture at large) is what gives me the greatest joy.

How could you not take the futures of our students seriously?Oh yeah…I am NEVER bored!

#3-Years spent in the profession/district?

This is my 31^st year with VUSD,if you count student teaching,and all 31 years have been right here at Markham-my second home!

#4-What do I do in my spare/free time?

I’m basically a “stick-in-the-mud” person…quite content with spending most of my time at home with my family.I love to watch my daughter,Lilly,compete in volleyball and swimming,and just be with her.I love weekend excursions with my lovely wife.I enjoy bowling on the teacher’s bowling league every Friday.I love to throw frisbees,play chess,and play scrabble with my friends.And I love to eat good food!

#5-What does being a member of the VTA mean to me?

VTA is a powerful, no-nonsense organization that understands the issues and challenges of teaching,and has the contractual expertise,the moral courage,and the legal clout to ensure that all teachers are treated fairly.Thank you!

• The CTA Scholarship for Dependent Children offers a maximum of 35 scholarships up to $5,000 each. The highest scoring applicant is awarded the Memorial Scholarship in Honor of Ralph J. Flynn.
• The CTA Scholarship in Honor of Del A. Weber offers one scholarship of $5,000 to a dependent child of an active member of CTA, CTA/NEA-Retired or deceased CTA member who is attending or attended a continuation high school or an alternative education program.
• The CTA Scholarship for Members offers a maximum of five scholarships of up to $3,000 each. The highest scoring applicant is awarded the American Indian/Alaska Native Memorial Scholarship in Honor of Alice Piper.
• The Student CTA (SCTA) Scholarship in Honor of L. Gordon Bittle offers a maximum of three scholarships of up to $5,000 each. The highest scoring applicant is awarded the Pacific Asian American Scholarship in Honor of Philip Vera Cruz.

Learn about each of these scholarships and about who they honor by visiting our Scholarships page. The deadline for each is February 2.

Each year in January we commemorate the life of a tremendous leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday is the 15^th of the month. In 1968, after the assassination of Dr. King, CTA and Student CTA (SCTA) established a living memorial in the form of a scholarship fund to aide members of ethnic minorities in preparing for teaching-related careers in public education. Learn more on our Scholarships page.

NEA Member Benefits has launched a new site just for the new member. Get first-year education resources, wellness resources, career resources — you can even enter a give-away and take a shot at winning an Apple Watch! New educators — check it out and enjoy!