Mitch Cudney, Nebo Education Association Member, Inspires Students

Mitch Cudney, Nebo Education Association member at Springville Junior High School, has inspired students at his school through his art skills. Mitch wanted to motivate students at the school and maintain a theme that used the school's knight mascot. He selected the painting "God Speed" by Edmund Leighton to create at large six-by-nine foot mural for Springville Junior High School. The mural shows a lady tying a favor around the arm of a knight as he rides off into battle. Mitch thought that the lady and the knight would inspire both young women and young men at Springville Junior High School. Mitch, a local artist and art teacher at the school, chose the painting two years ago. He and his students have been working to complete the mural ever since then. Students recreated the painting by using one-inch square sections during a twenty minute daily enrichment class. Over a two-year period, Mitch Cudney and his students spent one-thousand hours to create the beautiful mural that now hangs in the center of the main hallway facing the entrance doors.

Lynnell Fox, Alpine Education Association Member, Receives Classroom Supply Gifts

Lynnell Fox, Alpine Education Association member, was recently surprised with a bouquet of flowers and a huge box of school supplies for her 1^st grade classroom at Greenwood Elementary School in Alpine School District.  These surprise gifts were donated to Lynnell in the Office Max program entitled “A Day Made Better – To stop Teacher-Funded Classrooms.”  Lynnell was one of 1,000 educators teaching throughout the country who received these unexpected classroom supplies and flowers.  She was nominated to receive the educational materials in this program by her principal at Greenwood Elementary, Jason Benson, with the following comments:

“Mrs. Fox is an amazing teacher!”  She is a great representative of Greenwood Elementary, has spent tons of her own time and money to create memories for her students, and makes learning fun!  Her students are always engaged, and she ensures that they leave 1^st grade prepared!  Greenwood is filled with great teachers, and Mrs. Fox is the cream of the crop.  She is a shining example of excellence in education.  Her passion and caring are evident in her teaching.  We are fortunate to have Mrs. Fox as a first-grade teacher, as a team player, and most importantly as a great role model for our community.”

Mrs. Fox ran a preschool for 19 years, taught in Davis County for 4 years, and is now in her 7^th year of teaching at Greenwood Elementary School.  She said she teaches “for the children.”  She subscribes to the philosophy that “childhood is a journey, not a race.”  Mrs. Fox wants each student to reach his or her own potential, and hopes to instill in them the ability to be individuals.  She has lived in American Fork all of her life except when she was a college student in Ogden.

UEA Road Trip Visit To Carbon County Education Association On 9-29-11

On September 29, the Carbon County Education Association and a UEA Road Trip team visited two schools in Price during the lunch hour. Part of the team visited Mont Harmon Junior High, and the rest shared lunch with teachers at Carbon High School.  During the meeting at Carbon High, UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh covered issues of concern for teachers. Asked about charter school educators joining the UEA, she indicated that she would like to see more join. Other issues discussed were teacher merit pay, legislative issues and concerns with state Supt. Larry Shumway. “(Shumway) doesn’t seem to be the best advocate for teachers,” said one educator.

About 40 educators and their families, including Carbon School District Superintendent Steve Carlsen, attended a barbecue hosted by CCEA in the courtyard of Carbon High School. Carbon County Education Association President Caroline Barrington welcomed everyone, and then turned the time over to Kory and Sharon. They discussed the importance of attending caucus meetings, and shared insight into education-related issues.

UEA Road Trip Visit to Alpine Education Association on 9-28-11

The evening could not have been nicer for Alpine School District teachers and their families gathered at the Scera Park Main Pavilion in Orem. The Alpine Education Association (AEA) hosted a dinner event, which included a catered barbecue, music, prizes, and comments from UEA Vice President Tom Nedreberg.

In responding to a question about working with the Utah legislature, Nedreberg said, “We all went into teaching because we care about the kids. We didn’t realize when we started that politics plays such a big role in everything we do.” He encouraged teachers to become politically active if they want to make a difference in their classrooms.

AEA President Mike Gowans thanked teachers for their efforts and shared insight into Alpine teacher contracts. “Right now, Alpine has probably a better relationship between our teachers and administration than any other district in the state,” he said. “While budget cuts have made (contract negotiations) difficult, we have been able to negotiate a better contract than pretty much any place else.”