The following news release was issued by the National Education Association from the ESP Conference in Las Vegas:
Helen Cottongim, a school bus driver from Florence, Kentucky, was honored as the National Education Association’s 2010 ESP of the Year.
America’s nearly 3 million education support professionals—more commonly known as ESPs—comprise 43 percent of the public school workforce. There are nine types of ESPs who work ‘behind the scenes’ at the country’s public schools and higher education institutions. From bus drivers and teacher’s aides to food service workers and custodians, ESPs keep schools and colleges clean, safe and healthy.
“Education support professionals are the glue who hold our public schools together,” said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. “Without them, education in America’s public schools would come to a screeching halt. The school doors would be closed and a student’s options in life would be drastically limited. Helen Cottongim is a shining ...