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Keeping children on track in one of Milwaukee’s largest middle schools is what Laura Vernon does every day. Some days it’s as simple as a smile or a hug and a “Where’s your pass?” Other days, it gets much more complicated.
But, no matter what the day, Vernon embraces her role as a school safety assistant at Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts with her whole spirit. That spirit, one that shows a love for children while setting firm expectations for personal responsibility, is what led the National Education Association to choose Vernon out of 483,000 candidates as the 2008 Education Support Professional of the Year.
“It’s all about one thing: I like kids,” said Vernon, who has been employed in Milwaukee Public Schools for 33 years. “Kids need consistent people in their lives, as far as I’m concerned, to help them stay on the right path when it comes to education.”
Vernon was surprised with the honor in early March, but the “best in the nation” status came as no shock to those who see her at school every day.
Vernon has touched the hearts of the students she has worked with – from soliciting donations so high school students from low-income families could attend the prom to tutoring children over the summer to keep their skills strong.
 Laura Vernon, a school safety assistant at Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts in Milwaukee, is the NEA's 2008 Education Support Professional of the Year. |
“She’s always trying to provide extras for the kids and going out of her way,” Roosevelt choir director Alida LaCosse said. “I’m glad somebody recognized it.”
One 8th-grade student at the school said, “She treats (students) kind, she just tells them nicely and they do it on the first try.”
Principal Hughes George said Vernon epitomizes the school’s motto: Rigor, Relationship and Relevance. “She makes it easier for students to listen and do what we expect them to do behaviorally and academically while they are at school,” he said.
Vernon’s love of her work is apparent in the way she keeps children on track and on time, calls them by name and follows up on their questions. “This is not just about a job,” she said. “This is about helping children become good citizens – good adults – in our community.”
Vernon is one of WEAC’s 16,000 ESP members, who range from school bus drivers to cafeteria workers, from security assistants to school nurses. Vernon stressed that across the nation it takes everyone, working together, to make schools successful. “I think ESP are vital for education,” she said. “Without them, the building doesn’t open. The building doesn’t run. Nothing happens unless ESP are here.”
Active in MPS and her community, Vernon is also an advocate for education support professionals as a member of NEA’s Board of Directors. When NEA President Reg Weaver presented Vernon with the award at the annual ESP conference in Baltimore, he said, “When you understand Laura’s accomplishments, you get a better sense of how integral ESP are to children receiving a quality education. Her contributions to the children of Milwaukee Public Schools have benefits that extend beyond the classroom.”
Along with the award, Vernon received a $10,000 check. Vernon will be a featured speaker in July at the NEA Representative Assembly in Washington, D.C.
Vernon said she will use her role as ESP of the Year to help promote the great work of ESP throughout the nation. “Most of the time, ESP are from the community that the children live in, so they have a special bond with those children,” she said.
 Students have found respect and fairness in Vernon. "She treats them kind, she just tells them nicely and they do it on the first try," one girl said. |
WEAC President Mary Bell, who nominated Vernon for the award, said Vernon is one of the standard bearers for the unsung heroes who quietly build the foundation for Wisconsin’s future in the state’s public schools every day.
“Laura embodies the commitment to her profession and devotion to children that I see in public school employees throughout Milwaukee and the rest of the state,” Bell said. “Investments in great schools build strong communities, and educators like Laura invest all of themselves in their work because they know today’s public school students will impact everyone’s future.”
Vernon said the award is all the thanks for her work she’ll ever need. “You don’t always get a thank you for the work that you do,” she said. “For that to happen to me, it’s like the biggest thank you… It’s just amazing.”
Related links:
Milwaukee's Laura Vernon wins top national education award [OnWEAC 3/11/08]
Milwaukee security guard named ESP of the Year [NEA blog, 3/10/08]
Wisconsin safety assistant gains national recognition by putting children first [NEA news release, 3/7/08]
Posted March 11, 2008; Updated March 18, 2008