Ms. Hughes (pictured on the right) has been teaching for 13 years. Some of those years were spent in brick-and-mortar classrooms and some were in online classrooms. She believes that every year’s experience prepared her for her current position. She enjoys the smiles, gratitude, willingness, and effort displayed by her students and the constant creative challenge of her position.  “I never get bored because there is always something to learn or improve.”  She describes her greatest satisfaction as the success achieved as a result of good preparation and providing a meaningful routine for her students.

An eight year member of NWPE, Ms. Hughes noted her primary reason for joining NWPE and how having a choice of professional organizations benefits teachers, students, and public education as a free marketplace of ideas:

When I moved back to Idaho I inquired about joining the Idaho Education Association, but was told I couldn’t join because my school was not eligible for membership. Interestingly, this brought me back to my first year of teaching in Oregon. I was told that I had to pay dues from my paycheck whether or not I wanted to join the union. I was so put off by the pressure tactics that I chose to donate my “contribution” rather than join the union; of course I was shut out of discussions because I wasn’t a member. I did join the union in Las Vegas; it was important to me to have the comfort of an organization that would back me up in my profession. However, I did not know that there were other options out there.

After being turned down by the IEA, I found out about NWPE and it was exactly the type of organization I wanted to belong to all along. I am proud to be a member of NWPE. This organization provides so many positive supports for its members without any apparent agenda other than supporting the profession in the best way possible. I have never felt obligated to do, say, feel, or believe any particular thing as a result of my membership, and that is huge. AND, there is comfort in knowing that a supportive organization has my back and wants me to always be a better teacher.

Congratulations to Ms. Hughes!  We are delighted to assist her and Garden Valley Schools in advancing their music program and to provide Kelly with the support and benefits she wants most in a professional organization.  Good luck to the school drum corps which will be performing at a local sporting event soon!

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