Omaha
Jason went to Omaha Nebraska the weekend of January 20th-22nd for the National Education Association's Western Regional Leadership Conference. The weather was quite cold for him but who could say no when your state's president asks you to go and also offers to pay fully for you to be there. So Jason left on Friday morning and arrived Friday evening. While Jason was over in Nebraska learning about what could help his local teachers union, Sam, Karen and Maya were back in Phoenix staying with Karen's parents for the weekend.
Jason was able to not only meet but also was able to speak for a few minutes with the National Education Association's President, Reg Weaver who is still a teacher. Jason had his picture taken with Reg and the Cat in the Hat on Friday night and then had a fun evening with the Arizona Delegation at the conference, including the president of the Arizona Education Association. This was a great way for Jason to network and make new connections in the world of Education and also learn from leaders who are veteran leaders.
Saturday consisted of 3 breakout sessions for Jason to attend on different topics with regards to leadership. He really enjoyed each of the sessions and learned a lot from the presenters, which ranged from the state president of Kansas-NEA, to NEA staffers as they are called. At lunch, you would think you would be left alone and not bothered. WRONG!!! This was a time used to discuss the problems with No Child Left Behind or what is also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Questions were taken from the audience and Jason asked a couple of questions of the NEA committee addressing this piece of legislation. Then we were able to listen to the NEA Secretary Treasurer Lily Eskelsen, a teacher also from Utah. Her stories of teaching and what we are doing as the largest union in the world was revitalizing to hear and this will be information definitely taken back to Phoenix.
During Arizona's caucus we were sharing out what sessions were attended and what people learned. Everyone was also asked to contribute to the NEA Fund for Children, which Jason did do. The delegation was also having an auction of different items, none Jason wanted to bid on until the President of the Arizona Education Association offered to have whoever the winner was shadow him for a day, be the president, go where he would be and do what he would be do. Well, the president from Mesa Education Association started the bidding out, thinking she was going to get it no problem. She thought wrong, because this was something Jason was interested in. The bidding started at 50 dollars, then Jason increased the bid to 75 dollars. The Mesa president who Jason is good friends with and has known for five years know, turned around and gave Jason the dirtiest look and said what are you doing? So the Mesa President upped the bid and so did Jason. Jason stopped at 150, but another president got involved in the bidding at 175, so then the Mesa president put it to 200 dollars. No other person was going higher and then all of a sudden she upped her bid to 400 dollars and her contingency of delegates were yelling at her to look in her envelope and told her they had wrote down the wrong amount on the paper which told how much money the delegation had collected to give in this auction and donate to the NEA Fund for Children. The Mesa president was shocked and all of the people in the room were just dying of laughter including the President of the Arizona Education Association.
Since Jason was in Omaha, he knew on Saturday night when it was time for dinner on his own he needed to get an Omaha, Steak. He enjoyed a 12 oz ribeye steak at a local brewery called Upstream Brewery. The food was excellent and so was the beer. The beer was a local brew which was made there at the brewery. After Jason and the group with him had dinner they decided to go join another group from Arizona which included the President of Mesa, Tempe, Cartwright, Flowing Wells, NEA Regional Directors, and Arizona President. On the way back from the restaurant with the large party, the AZ president said jokingly, next year at Western Regional Leadership Conference we would be having our caucus on wheels.
It is now Sunday morning around 6:45 local time and Jason has a slate of sessions including an address by NEA Vice President and local Paradise Valley Teacher, Dennis Van Roekel. The conference wraps up around 12PM today and Jason's flight doesn't leave until 4:50PM so after the conference is done Jason will head out with the group of other local officers flying back with him to Arizona. So for now I have to head into the shower and make sure all my stuff is packed up to go. I will write more later on.
Jason
Jason was able to not only meet but also was able to speak for a few minutes with the National Education Association's President, Reg Weaver who is still a teacher. Jason had his picture taken with Reg and the Cat in the Hat on Friday night and then had a fun evening with the Arizona Delegation at the conference, including the president of the Arizona Education Association. This was a great way for Jason to network and make new connections in the world of Education and also learn from leaders who are veteran leaders.
Saturday consisted of 3 breakout sessions for Jason to attend on different topics with regards to leadership. He really enjoyed each of the sessions and learned a lot from the presenters, which ranged from the state president of Kansas-NEA, to NEA staffers as they are called. At lunch, you would think you would be left alone and not bothered. WRONG!!! This was a time used to discuss the problems with No Child Left Behind or what is also known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Questions were taken from the audience and Jason asked a couple of questions of the NEA committee addressing this piece of legislation. Then we were able to listen to the NEA Secretary Treasurer Lily Eskelsen, a teacher also from Utah. Her stories of teaching and what we are doing as the largest union in the world was revitalizing to hear and this will be information definitely taken back to Phoenix.
During Arizona's caucus we were sharing out what sessions were attended and what people learned. Everyone was also asked to contribute to the NEA Fund for Children, which Jason did do. The delegation was also having an auction of different items, none Jason wanted to bid on until the President of the Arizona Education Association offered to have whoever the winner was shadow him for a day, be the president, go where he would be and do what he would be do. Well, the president from Mesa Education Association started the bidding out, thinking she was going to get it no problem. She thought wrong, because this was something Jason was interested in. The bidding started at 50 dollars, then Jason increased the bid to 75 dollars. The Mesa president who Jason is good friends with and has known for five years know, turned around and gave Jason the dirtiest look and said what are you doing? So the Mesa President upped the bid and so did Jason. Jason stopped at 150, but another president got involved in the bidding at 175, so then the Mesa president put it to 200 dollars. No other person was going higher and then all of a sudden she upped her bid to 400 dollars and her contingency of delegates were yelling at her to look in her envelope and told her they had wrote down the wrong amount on the paper which told how much money the delegation had collected to give in this auction and donate to the NEA Fund for Children. The Mesa president was shocked and all of the people in the room were just dying of laughter including the President of the Arizona Education Association.
Since Jason was in Omaha, he knew on Saturday night when it was time for dinner on his own he needed to get an Omaha, Steak. He enjoyed a 12 oz ribeye steak at a local brewery called Upstream Brewery. The food was excellent and so was the beer. The beer was a local brew which was made there at the brewery. After Jason and the group with him had dinner they decided to go join another group from Arizona which included the President of Mesa, Tempe, Cartwright, Flowing Wells, NEA Regional Directors, and Arizona President. On the way back from the restaurant with the large party, the AZ president said jokingly, next year at Western Regional Leadership Conference we would be having our caucus on wheels.
It is now Sunday morning around 6:45 local time and Jason has a slate of sessions including an address by NEA Vice President and local Paradise Valley Teacher, Dennis Van Roekel. The conference wraps up around 12PM today and Jason's flight doesn't leave until 4:50PM so after the conference is done Jason will head out with the group of other local officers flying back with him to Arizona. So for now I have to head into the shower and make sure all my stuff is packed up to go. I will write more later on.
Jason
posted by AZSchnee | 5:21 AM
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