The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) recently awarded the Anderson Federation of Teachers (AFT 519) with a $10,800 grant as part of their Real Solutions for Kids and Communities campaign. This campaign aims to strengthen public schools by rejecting extremists’ toxic attacks in favor of innovative, scalable solutions to tackle learning loss and loneliness, and to make literacy, mental health, career pathways and affordable college national priorities.
“The AFT 519 is honored to be a recipient of this grant from the AFT,” said Randy Harrison, President, for the Anderson Federation of Teachers. “Through this grant, AFT 519 members will work with the Anderson Impact Center, Inc. (AIC) to help improve literacy by providing a wide range of support to our diverse student body.”
The AIC will help to support the AFT 519’s grant by recruiting interested volunteers from their senior program. These volunteers along with AFT 519 members will work with students at the Southview Preschool Center, Anderson Elementary School, and Anderson High School.
“We have so many seniors that are looking for ways to give back to our community,” said Sherry Peak, Executive Director for the AIC. “This program is a great opportunity for them to make a difference in our local public schools and help to support the district’s efforts to improve literacy.”
The AFT has invested $5 million in their Real Solutions for Kids and Communities Campaign. Approximately 10% of this funding, or $500,000, will be used to provide 40 Back-to-School grants to American Federation of Teachers affiliates like the one awarded to the AFT 519.
“While others continue their toxic, politically driven attacks against public education, we are addressing learning loss, loneliness and literacy challenges through transformative strategies that can be sustained, integrated and scaled to help children recover and thrive,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “We’re dedicated to funding and supporting the real solutions, helping to build confident and passionate readers, investing in wraparound services for kids and families, and helping establish clear
pathways to good jobs and affordable college. So, instead of banning books, demonizing teachers or censoring curriculum, we’re going to continue investing in our public schools and seeding, sustaining and scaling the strategies and programs we know work.”
Some of the back-to-school grants will be used to launch community events that promote the love of reading, while others are using them to stock food banks and for families facing food and housing insecurity.
The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, for example, plans to use its grant to work with community groups to combat gun violence at Woodward High School, and in Louisiana, Red River United plans to use its grant to host events where students and their families connect to local trades experts and prepare for careers after school.
The multifaceted campaign, which has been promoted in ads, also includes visits to schools where solutions like community schools, career and college pathways and hands-on learning are in place, showcasing the work happening successfully, along with book giveaways and extensive resources to help families and teachers with reading instruction, so kids learn to love reading and do it well.
Throughout the year, the AFT will continue to make additional investments and provide grants to fund research-tested strategies that make student learning and well-being the priority. These include organizing parent-teacher nights to encourage collaboration on improving school culture and tackling student trauma; expanding training for school support staff so that they have more tools to help students who are falling behind academically; and creating more hands-on learning opportunities, like visiting local governments to learn about civic engagement and careers in public service.
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The Anderson Federation of Teachers (AFT 519) is the exclusive bargaining agent for teachers, certified, and non-certified staff with Anderson Community Schools. They are an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
The Anderson Impact Center, Inc. (AIC) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization designed to partner with a variety of local agencies and institutions. The AIC provides a “one stop” service center for residents of one of Anderson’s most economically disadvantaged, racially diverse community areas.
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do.