Dear Missouri NEA Student Member,

Welcome! I am so happy to be one of the first to welcome you to the MNEA student program. As a member, you join the family of more than 3.2 million members nation wide - with more than 60,000 of them being student members like you. I commend you because by becoming a member of this amazing organization, you are saying that you believe in the common goal of NEA, which is to “provide a great public school for every child.”

Becoming a member of the NEA student program opens so many doors for your future in education on the local, state and national levels. The NEA student program offers CBASE test preparation, PRAXIS training, leadership skills and training, professional development workshops, annual conferences, $2 million liability insurance, a member benefits program and the list goes on and on. NEA provides you with a state and national publication that will give you a closer look at education and the issues that we, as pre-service and active teachers, need to be aware of. You also have some of the best resources for the classroom right at your fingertips in the online NEA professional Library.

I encourage you to become an active member - not only at the local level on your campus, but also on the state and national levels. Every year, student members from across the state are appointed by the MNEA president to serve on the Missouri Student Advisory Committee. In addition, active student members have the chance to be elected as voting delegates to be a voice for the student program on state and national levels. I encourage you to take every opportunity to network and glean from the active members in this organization to find out the tips of the trade. Children are our future and in order for our future to be bright we need educators like you!

I wish you the best of luck in your education and look forward to working with you as we promote the idea of a great public school for each and every child in America!

Ge’ron “Nemo” Tatum
Missouri NEA Student Program Chair
2007-08