The American Association of University Women provides a variety of resources for local teachers.

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Linda Alepin and the American Association of University Women embrace the “trickle-down theory” in education, and they have put that philosophy into practice to the tune of $10,000 in grants to benefit local teachers.

“We want to make a difference in the lives of our teachers and, therefore, the lives of Tucson’s children — especially girls. We are all about creating equity for women and girls in society,” said Alepin, president of the Tucson branch of the association.

A nationwide nonprofit service organization with 14 chapters statewide, the association funds scholarships, educational grants and provides advocacy in support of empowering women.

“We have to tap into all the talent we can possibly tap into and that includes women and girls. It is very important to give them equal opportunity in school, business, all careers and the family,” said Alepin.

Alepin said the association recognizes that equity starts with education and believes that leveraging local resources is often the most efficient way to influence change, so they enacted several new initiatives to assist local teachers. Funding for the projects is the result of fundraisers, member donations and legacy gifts.

Tucson Police Department Chief Chris Magnus was administered the Moderna vaccine along with other members of the department during a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine clinic at the Tucson Convention Center, on Jan. 15, 2021. As part of the 1B vaccination phase, vaccinations are being offered to members of protective services including TPD. (Josh Galemore / Arizona Daily Star)

First, they gifted $5,000 to support the Tucson Regional Educators Collaborative, a collaboration between local school districts and educators led by the University of Arizona College of Education. The effort is committed to supporting teacher professional development and developing teacher leaders in order to eventually increase teacher retention.

The collaborative surveys of teachers have indicated that leadership is a priority in professional development for educators, according to Director Jen Kinser-Traut.

“Teachers are looking for opportunities for leadership, but they want to lead while remaining in the classroom,” said Kinser-Traut.

Among other duties, collaborative “teacher leaders” lead book study groups for teachers across the region. Participants are reading “Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators” by Elena Aguilar, which focuses on social/emotional learning.

The association also supported grant work for educators through implementation of a grant-writing course, and assisted the regional collaborative in attaining a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Another AAUW initiative involved creation of the Tucson Teacher Trading Post, which includes an online community to allow educators to trade tips and information, post request for supplies and recruit classroom volunteers. It also included $5,000 in funding to fulfill requests up to $100 per educator for “Teacher’s Wish Lists.” To date, $5,000 in wishes have been granted and more than 250 wishes remain unfulfilled.

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Contact freelance writer Loni Nannini at ninch2@comcast.net

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