Political Action and Advocacy
Trick or Vote
Participating Members:
Haley Stonebraker
Cameron Collins
Lucinda Wracher
Courtney Cambal
Emily Monahan
Each year, at the end of October, Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA passes out candy in the residence halls and asks students to vote. While it's too late for us to register students, it is not too late to educate our peers about the need to vote pro-education not only in terms of PK-12 students, but for college students as well. In addition to candy given from plastic jack-o'lantern buckets, we also give them papers that inform people of the issues.
PACE Workshop:
How can the race for governor affect you?
Participating Members:
Haley Stonebraker Cameron Collins
Nick Papson
John Kerlicker
Joe Bolla
Brandon Cross
Deja Peterson
Ange Malone
Brooke Barnot
Mioni Robb
Rowan Alexander Courtney Cambal
Andrew Barnhart
Ashley Brantley
Angela Schwartz
On October 11, 2018
Mr. Fritz Fekete, the Southwest Region Advocacy Coordinator, joined the Southwest SPSEA Region (including students from Pitt-Greensburg and California University) to discuss how politics affects education in Pennsylvania. After dinner in our dining hall, Southwest Region members got to hear Mr. Fekete, whose major foci included the governor's race and state judges.
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"Arm Me With"Awareness campaign
Participating Members:
Courtney Cambal
Summer Lash
Katelyn Zanotti
Tori Jackson
Alexis Helpler
Emily Malone
Matt Grayo
Olivia Larson
Jenny Espinosa
Eric Baer
Matt Boyer
Natalie Sarnese
Miranda Anker
Gina Wojtowicz
Kelsey Butler
Kimberly Ruffner
Chelsea Holmes
Kendra Moxon
Luke Falbo
Rowan Alexander
Lindsey Wittkopp
Based information gained at our annual state conference and also in response to the proposal to arm teachers in the classroom, Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA set up two "Arm Me With" opportunities. The first was held on April 18 during an SPSEA meeting and the second on April 20, 2018 in our student union. In both, we asked members and non-members to fill in the blank after "Arm me with...." Answers ranged widely: love, books, resources, funding, less state-mandated testing, a sense of humor, counseling for my students, safety for my students -- and the list continues. We had over 30 people allow us to take their photo with their signs and close to 50 participate overall. In this way, we allowed people to voice their needs in education and spread awareness about what educators really need in the classroom.
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The effects of local school boards:
A conversation
Participating Members:
Cameron Collins
Haley Stonebraker
Rowan Alexander
Kendra Moxon
Luke Falbo
Lindsey Wittkopp
Lucas Ali
Aubrey Mollenauer
Emily Shelley
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On February 27, 2019, Dr. Paul Adams, a professor of political science and a member of the Hempfield Area School District school board, and Ms. Susan Spicka, Executive director of Education Voters of PA and a school board member in Shippensburg, joined us at Pitt-Greensburg to discuss how state and local politics affect our local schools. This conversational presentation provided great insight to the SPSEA members who attended and also to the other university students who chose to join us.
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Basket Raffle For PACE
Participating Members:
Many people bought raffle tickets. People selling raffle tickets during the day included:
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Leta Cirgliano
Lucas Ali
Kendra Moxon
Rowan Alexander
Luke Falbo
Abby McCracken
At the Teacher Leadership Institute, Pitt-Greensburg SPSEA and each of the faculty advisers obtained and/or donated baskets for a raffle benefiting PACE. The baskets included an ice cream sundae basket, one from Chick-fil-a (where member Lucas Ali works), a pizza restaurant basket (donated by member Leta Cirgliano's parents), a baked good basket (from one adviser), a schools supply basket (from our other adviser). The total earnings were $140 towards PACE, which will be handed over at the Annual Conference.
Postcards To Vote
Participating Members:
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Cameron Collins
Haley Stonebraker
Nick Papson
Summer Lash
Courtney Cambal
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Led by the Regional PACE Chair, Nick Papson, and the Pitt-Greensburg PACE Co-Chairs, we undertook a postcard writing campaign to encourage people to vote in the 2018 election. Needless to say, we are happy with how the election turned out!
“Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.”
Aristotle