As a newer teacher, I found a camaraderie and a group of people who could help me with any questions or just who already had experience in the field.

AEA offers great professional development. I am a classified staff and it’s not required but it’s a personal goal to network and leverage the Arkansas Education Association and their ability to keep quality education among educators.

There is power in numbers. There’s strength in your voice. AEA really works to educate you on what’s going on with public education, and how can you get involved.

AEA gave me an avenue during lobby week when they invited teachers to the Capitol. They held my hand and took me to each room, introduced me to legislators, explained what was going on, and how to read the agendas, and how to dig deeper.

Through AEA, I found out how the things that happen on a local level are actually just an offshoot of things that happen at the Capitol. To really make a difference, you have to be political and get politically involved.