The Scholarship Committee is happy to announce that the applicant which we selected to compete for an FREF Scholarship has been awarded the McPherson Scholarship for 2012-13. Tayler Liles, a senior at Palmetto High School, won the award in very stiff competition. Each unit of FREA from around the state is invited to nominate only one student for the various awards.
Education runs in Tayler's family. Her mother is a guidance counselor at Lincoln Middle School, and her grandmother was an elementary school teacher in Ruskin. In her application, Tayler said that people had tried to talk her out of going into education because of the low pay and the difficulties in being an educator today. She hesitated at first, but then she realized that teaching was what she wanted to do more than anything else, regardless of the problems. I think her passion for teaching young people reflects what many of us have felt in our professional careers when we might have left the profession and gone to some greener pastures. But we hung on because we felt that what we were doing was more important than all those other opportunities that would pay us more money and get us more respect.
Speaking of Tayler's scholarship gives me the perfect chance to mention that you may still buy a ticket for $10 which helps pay for those scholarships and which may garner you a great prize when the tickets are chosen during the FREA Assembly in May.
We are also still accepting donations to our local scholarship fund. At the present time, I believe we have about $3000 to award to outstanding students in Manatee County who wish to become educators. I have an incomplete list of members who have donated, but new ones whom I did not mention before are Maye Williams, Julia Forkgen, and Kathryn Pickera. When I get the newest list from Ron Schneider I will add to the list. If somehow there has been a slip and I have not mentioned your name as a donor, please let me know. I'm old. I make mistakes. I am not mistaken though in asking you to donate to this important service which we provide to the young people who will follow in our footsteps. College is so expensive now that families are stretched to help their children.
The Scholarship Committee will meet on April 12 to look through the applications and make decisions about whom to award our MCREA scholarships. We are hoping for lots a great applicants. We will award the money which we have at that time, keeping a name aside for a further award should that be possible.
Jane and Bill Evers met me at the garage where they store the supplies for FELT. It is amazing how much food is stacked and cataloged there by a wonderful man who volunteers hours of his time to keep the inventory up to date. I guess with 15 schools to service it requires an army of volunteers to buy, stock pile, and distribute this food to children who might have a long, hungry weekend without it. Jane said that the Junior League has donated thousands of dollars for the effort. Many other groups are involved as well, making this a true community effort. If you bring food to the meeting, I will see that Jane gets it.
David and Carolyn Brown and Sandra Stephenson are forming a committee to honor long standing active members of MCREA. They welcome volunteers to help them organize the effort. Also, they will be working on a celebration of MCREA's 50th year planned for November of 2013. Again, they welcome members who would like to help make it a great event.
Our next meeting is on Thursday, April 19th, at 11:30, at Renaissance on 9th. Lisa Hickey of the University of Florida will speak about classes and volunteer activities. Remember that lunch is now $15. I think everyone is enjoying the new menu of salad, entree, coffee, tea, rolls, and dessert. At least everyone at my table was happy with the meal in March.
If you haven't heard from your caller by Sat., April 14th, please call Mary Ann Jensen, 756-7603, to make a reservation. Remember that FREA membership dues are going up in June, so pay your dues soon. Sue Roe will have a table to collect dues at our meeting.
See you soon,
Ellen
