Education
Great Teachers Don't Retire... They Go and Build Another School
News Release
August 3, 2003
NRTA Honors Retired Educators Who Continue to Educate
Retired teacher and educator Christine Tolbert found a way to continue to do what she loved upon retirement. She rebuilt a school. Tolbert represents one of the many unique stories that will be presented during the National 2003 With Our Youth! Awards presented by NRTA: AARP's Educator Community August 3 in Salt Lake City.
Upon retirement in 1987, renovating the Hosanna School in Harford County, Maryland became Tolbert's fulltime job. The school, the first in the county for African Americans during segregation, had fallen into disrepair. Aided with grants, donations and the desire to keep her hand "in educating children," Tolbert was single-minded in her devotion to renovating the school to its current state as a museum and an historical focal point in the county. Today, school children throughout the state tour the school to hear about its history and the significance it played for many still living in the surrounding area.
"We learned some important lessons in Hosanna," said Tolbert who attended the school as a youth. "As a teacher, I wanted to make sure those lessons were taught to today's young people. Everybody can contribute to society."
For many retired educators, the classroom door is always open. NRTA began presenting its awards in 2000 recognizing the volunteer efforts of retired educators. Since the program began, more than 45 million service hours in over 2,000 communities have been provided by retired educators reaching well over 1.5 million youth. Community service activities range from statewide "read aloud" programs to intergenerational projects providing supplies to elderly shut-ins.
"What we are seeing are a group of people who innately want to teach, want to excite, want to contribute to society and closing the classroom door really isn't an option," said Annette Norsman, director of NRTA. "Our volunteers tell us they are teachers for life."
2003 winners include:
State
Maine Education Association Retired
Statewide "reading aloud" project to school children and people of all ages called "R.E.A.D. in Maine" (stands for "Retired Educators Are Delivering in Maine.")
South Carolina Education Association - Retired (Innovation Award)
"Showers for Scholars" provides much needed school supplies as well as scholarships for students planning to pursue teaching. This program, which involved approximately 95 individual projects, also includes one-on-one mentoring, tutoring and related activities.
Local
Crawford County Retired Educators Association
Georgia Retired Educators Association
Retired educators across the county have served as an extensive resource whether judging contests, partnering with AARP for "bag stuffing" with youth for shut-ins, or "Read Across America."
Patrick County Retired Teachers Association
Virginia Retired Teachers Association
Total of 1,412 volunteer hours serving 1,890 youth through tutoring, judging competitions, teaching, and providing basic supplies such as food, clothing and eyeglasses.
Southwest Retired Teachers Association
North Dakota Retired Teachers Association
Created "Heritage Box" project which is presented to schools and girl scout troops to bring regional history alive in an interactive way.
Individual
Darlene Carlton
Washington State School Retirees' Association
Served as a reading tutor for groups of 1st graders for the last 15 years. Also founded highly successful mini-grant program for active teachers.
Pearl N. Sorenson
Utah Retired School Employees Association
Four-year volunteer with the "Reach Out and Reading" program based at Primary Children's Hospital clinic which serves Hispanic and Russian immigrant children as well as other youth.
Christine P. Tolbert
Maryland Retired Teachers Association
Worked from 1980 to the present to restore and preserve the first public school in her county for African-Americans. Also produced historic book about the county among other activities; since 1980 has donated 23,445 service hours.
About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to making life better for people 50 and over. We provide information and resources; engage in legislative, regulatory and legal advocacy; assist members in serving their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for our members. These include AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; Segunda Juventud, our quarterly newspaper in Spanish; NRTA Live and Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our Web site, www.aarp.org. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
About NRTA
Founded in 1947 by retired educator Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, NRTA: AARP's Educator Community, is a division of AARP. NRTA members share a commitment to learning, voluntary service, and civic participation. NRTA is the largest national organization that represents the interests of 50+ educators, with a membership of more than one-million active and retired higher-ed and K-12 educators and school personnel at the local, state and national level. The NRTA Network includes a national office in Washington, DC, 53 state and city associations, and more than 2,700 local associations. NRTA members are dedicated to continuous educational opportunity, advocacy, and service as a means of safeguarding the economic security, work opportunities, and future well-being of all generations. Visit NRTA's Website at www.aarp.org/nrta for more information.