Ambassador Academy Testimonials

I'm glad that we're able to take advantage of the technology we have, and that folks are getting some good use from the slides.

We also had a very professional looking setup at our NTO, the slides do a lot to gain attention. Good idea about using the slides at local meetings. It is good to remind new members of the benefits that are available to them. We need to remind our members of the Educator Access card, and that they should take advantage of the savings.

I've animated the slides to make them a little more interesting. Hopefully the information will attract folks to your area and open the floor for you to greet our new teachers and ESPs.

Used the power point in our NEO today and yep, we outshined the rest!!!! The power point presentation is EVER so professional. Thanks so much for putting it together…I would still be asking, “How’d you do that????” if I were trying to compose.

That’s just the beauty of the training that TSTA/NEA offered us with the Ambassador Academy. You and your expertise sharing with those of us without such expertise. I am so glad that I was allowed to participate.

I gave you all the credit but didn’t do my homework and forgot where you are in the state, but that opened up the discussion of the tremendous networking capabilities that the Ambassadors now have. I really think we impressed the newby’s today and I feel certain, with follow-up, that we will have many of the new-hires on our NL TSTA/NEA roster in the near future. I want to impress on the group how powerful a tool…POWER : PROTECTION : PROFESSIONAL…can be for them. Let me know how other NEO’s went.

Happy weekend and remember that it’s “For children and public education” that we do all we do,I think it would be good to use the presentation at one of our regular meetings so the members get a good reminder of all that TSTA/NEA can do for them.

Things are gearing up for the school year here in Nederland. Monday, August 1st was the first of two days set up for new teacher orientation. Of the 23 present on the first day, 13 are now new TSTA members. We even signed up 2 returning teachers who were just at school to work in their rooms bringing up our total recruitment for the day. I've got my eyes on the remaining 10 new hires and the unrepresented in the district.

The best thing that could have happened for us was, I believe, a result of hard work and relationship building. The asst. superintendent in charge of personnel, in his welcome speech, told the new hires about the 3 most important things they should do. Plan for retirement and set up direct deposit were the first two. Join a professional association was the third. "I'm not going to tell you which one to join, but there's one right there", he said, pointing to us. We smiled and waved back. It was a great feeling. I think the administration sees the hard work we do, the commitment we have to our members, and I really feel it paid off greatly.

Also, I was asked by our board president to speak at the local Rotary Club luncheon (he's a member) about school finance, why we're where we are and where we are going, etc. It was a 20 minute speech, and if you'd like a copy, I can forward it later. But I'll tell you it went great and I received many compliments, not just directed at me, but at TSTA, too. It was a success. "Ain't no stopping us now!"

I thought you would appreciate an update. As I mentioned at the Leadership Academy, I put my name in the political ring and ran for a position on the NEA Resolutions Committee at the RA in Orlando. There were 7 candidates, including Ambassadors Chris Tullis and Chuck Isner, all vying for the 3 spots allocated to Texas. Elected were Gordon Gauthier, Chris and yours truly. I am proud to say that I was the top vote getter in the state. Gordon and Chris were both running as incumbents while I was a new challenger.

The campaign was fun and challenging. I know that the skills I learned at the Academy were invaluable in winning the election. Thank you for the time and effort you put towards making all us Ambassadors the members, teachers/ESPs, and people that we are. I know we will all continue to carry the banner of the TSTA Ambassador Academy high.

Thank you.

Reagan Hawkins
President, Nederland Teachers Association
Vice-president, TSTA Region 3E
Member, NEA Resolutions Committee
Ambassador, TSTA/NEA

Welcome back!!! You know how excited we all are to have you back among us. When I was asked to apply for the 2nd Academy I had little idea what I was getting into. What motivated me was the contagious enthusiasm of two of the Ambassadors from the 1st class. They didn't steer me wrong. I found the training to be invaluable, and continue to reap its benefits. In addition, I made some friendships that endure today and provide me with a network of contacts across the width and breadth of Texas -- and that's saying a lot as any true Texan knows (even if, like me, they weren't born here, but got here as fast as they could).

One of the requirements of the Academy was to write down a goal for the coming year. I set a goal to raise our membership by 10%. We achieved that goal, but we did so much more. We made a presentation to the board that resulted in a major raise for teachers and a larger than planned raise for our ESPs. We also were extremely active in the local school board races where three of three incumbants bit the dust after consistently refusing to listen to what teachers had to say about local policies. This year, we made still another proposal to the board urging a lower ceiling for the salary schedule and substantial pay increases for the ESPs. The latter is still in limbo since the board is reluctant to act until they have more knowledge about what the state will do.

Personally, I have been both honored and humbled by what has happened to me. For the first two years after the training I served as our local's vice-president. I also have served on the Legislative Cadre and for the past year have been a member of the Legislative PAC committee. Finally, on July 15th of this year I became our local's President and I am looking forward to an exciting and challenging year. I have to admit that the thought that I would some day be President never entered my mind when I started. I just wanted to be a good soldier. I have no doubt that any success I have or will enjoy will be largely the result of my experience as a graduate of the 2nd Ambassador Academy. I continue to urge new members to apply for the Academy as I feel that it will provide them far better training than they are liable to get anywhere else on how to be a leader in TSTA. Just as importantly, I believe that in turn, the training has also made me a better and more effective teacher.

Thanks to all who made and continue to make Ambassador Academy the magnificent program that it is.

A Texas State Teacher Association Ambassador is a person with a mission appointed to represent TSTA in leadership. I have found being an ambassador as a rewarding experience to serve and recruit future leaders. Being an ambassador is a life-changing experience which sees the potential and expands that potential beyond measure. It has been a growing process. I have grown to believe in my purpose and to fulfill that purpose. My purpose is to serve others with a servant attitude.

I never would have dreamed the positive impact of being an ambassador. Meeting and collaborating with positive people is an ongoing process as an ambassador. I served in the legislative cadre which taught me to take a stand. Taught me that the legislation were only people making decisions about our future. We should not just go along to get along. Fight for our rights as a people.

I have had opportunity to attend positive development diverse workshops all over the United States. I have had the opportunity engage in Trainer of Trainers program to train future ambassadors. I have had the opportunity to be the contact person for my district where there is no organized local working with the people and administration. As an ambassador for Texas State Teacher Association, I have a life-long journey moving toward excellence. Welcome back, Susan Salinas, we missed you!