Student WEA Seeks School District to Participate in 'Outreach to Teach'

The Student WEA is looking for a school district interested in participating in its 2000 Outreach to Teach project. Student WEA members will contribute volunteer work, raise funds and collect supplies for the selected district.

Last spring, about 100 Student WEA members did volunteer work such as painting, cleaning, and moving for the Norwalk-Ontario schools. They painted hallways, classrooms, cupboards, the gym, and chairs. They created bulletin boards, flannel boards and other educational supplies. And they donated hundreds of dollars' worth of supplies and more than 560 books to the district.

All of this was made possible by the generous support of businesses throughout the state as well as grants from the NEA Student Program (CLASS- Community Learning through America's SchoolS grant) and WEAC. Students raised more than $8,500, in addition to supplies.

The Student WEA -- an association of about 2,000 college students from throughout the state who are studying to be teachers -- is now in the planning stages of next year's project, and is starting by searching for a school or district that is in particular need of this type of assistance.

Student WEA President Curtis Fuller said selection will be based on location, need, community support, the impact of revenue controls, size, the amount and type of work needed, and the level of support of all school staff.

"We hope that next year's event will be even bigger and better than last year's," Fuller said.

An application form can be found online at http://www.student-wea.org/outreach.htm. The deadline for applications is July 16, 1999.

Student WEA leadership will be making the decision in late August, and schools will be notified by early September.

Posted June 3, 1999