PSEA is a community of education professionals who make a difference in the lives of students every day.
Voice: November 2017
Desiree Brown recognized the value of PSEA to her future career when she was a freshman at East Stroudsburg University.
She joined Student PSEA, and the officers at the time encouraged her to become involved beyond “just belonging.’’
“They encouraged me to go to a Student PSEA conference, and it really opened my eyes to the value of teaching and the value of changing a child’s life,’’ Brown said.
It’s fair to say that after that, she did more than just belong. She became president of East Stroudsburg’s student chapter.
“I got to go to the NEA-RA and that just sealed the deal,’’ said Brown, who is now in her second year of teaching kindergarten in the Pocono Mountain School District, Monroe County. “I knew I didn’t want to teach anywhere but Pennsylvania because I wanted to remain part of PSEA.’’
Brown capped off her first year as a full-time PSEA member during the 2016-17 school year by serving as a “red shirt” volunteer at the Gettysburg Summer Leadership Conference this summer. While in Student PSEA, she was one of the first undergraduates to attend the student track at Gettysburg.
“I’ve learned a lot through my experiences at Gettysburg,’’ Brown said. “I’ve learned how to be a more effective leader, and I’ve learned a lot of things to do in the classroom through connections with other teachers.’’
She finds teaching and working with children to be everything she dreamed – “If I didn’t get paid, I’d still teach’’ – and admires PSEA for all the support it gives to teachers and students, and for lobbying for pro-public education policies and candidates at all levels of government.
“I encourage non-members to join because it’s all about educators coming together,’’ Brown said. “It’s important for educators to stick together in these difficult times.’’
