At the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year Central Connecticut State University’s chapter of CEA’s Aspiring Educators program had just two members—Giovanni Mason-Brookes and Michaela De Los Cientos. By the end of the year, the two, who took on the roles of president and vice president, had grown the chapter to 10-15 regular members, had a reliable five-person executive board, and had increased the chapter’s presence on campus and at the state level.
Mason-Brookes and De Los Cientos’ hard work was recognized on the national stage this week at the annual NEA Aspiring Educators Conference in Philadelphia where the CCSU Aspiring Educators Chapter won the National Emerging Chapter Award. CEA Aspiring Educators—students enrolled in education preparation programs at colleges around the state—made a strong showing at the awards ceremony with nominations in the categories for state excellence and CREATE Grant excellence, and Mason-Brookes was nominated for the national emerging leader award.
“I couldn’t be prouder of all of our aspiring educators’ work this year,” said CEA Educational Issues Specialist Elizabeth Sked. “We were thrilled that CCSU was recognized with the National Emerging Chapter award. Watching Giovanni and Michaela grow as leaders and grow the CCSU chapter has been truly inspirational.”
“The success of our chapter comes down to several key things that worked together,” says Mason-Brookes. “The first and foremost is not only our executive board’s ability to work as a team, but also our chapter members. Together, throughout the entire year, our teamwork allowed us to uplift each other, become pillars of support for one another, and above all, allowed us to establish a community to call our own. This community we established, and then fostered, allowed for each of our unique personalities, skill sets, and authentic selves to be employed. This ultimately led to our drastic increase of membership, perhaps the greatest contributor to our achievement. Once we had established a community of unique individuals who each brought something new to the table we were able to engage in the hard work that was ultimately recognized on the national level.”
CEA Aspiring Educators State Vice Chair Julia Cooper, Secretary Michaela De Los Cientos, PR Chair Giovanni Mason-Brookes, and Chair Emma Sands enjoy dinner at the awards ceremony at the NEA Aspiring Educators Conference.
“We planned multiple enticing meetings over the fall and spring semesters that consisted of both older ideas, such as the Holiday Bear Wrapping Party and PRAXIS Information Night, as well as new ideas, such as Resumé Day and a Minority within the School System Discussion,” says De Los Cientos. “In the spring semester, we also began a new Pen Pals Program, where we exchanged notebooks with children at a local elementary school. These meetings not only resulted in an increase in chapter members and retention, but they also fostered a warm environment and close bonds between all members.”
The chapter also focused on bridging the gap between middle and high school EdRising programs for students interested in teaching careers and collegiate aspiring educator programs.
“Giovanni and I first attended an EdRising meeting at a local high school to talk about our chapter, the AEP, and CCSU Education Program,” De Los Cientos says. “We then hosted a session at the EdRising State Conference on bridging the programs’ gap, which was recognized by the State Department of Education. A few weeks after the conference, our chapter hosted an AEP and EdRising collaboration, where we hosted the local EdRising students and encouraged them to join our chapter and the AEP! These three events truly kickstarted the integration of these programs, and we aim to further this integration in the future.”
The CEA Aspiring Educators Program held state-wide elections during its last meeting of the school year where Mason-Brookes was elected public relations chair and De Los Cientos was elected secretary.
“CCSU AE members now comprise 50% of the AEP’s state team,” Mason-Brookes says. “I could not be more proud of our chapter for elevating itself to such a high degree and reestablishing itself.”
The CCSU chapter grew and flourished under Mason-Brookes and De Los Cientos’ leadership, but Mason-Brookes says he still couldn’t quite believe it when he found out he was nominated for the emerging leader award.
“I recognized that much of the work I was doing was important and necessary, but I still didn’t see myself as a leader,” he says. “Growing up I was rather quiet and reserved, mostly because I hadn’t yet learned to use my voice. It wasn’t until I joined CEA that I learned the power of using my voice and how to become a leader, not only in professional settings but also in my own personal life. I work everyday with leaders who constantly make me raise the bar for not only myself but those around us as well. For that I thank my peers and fellow AEs who have also taken on leadership roles both locally, state-wide, and nationally. Without them and their standard of leadership, I would not be where I am today.”
He adds, “While I did not win, I still cannot help but feel I truly am a winner. I accomplished more in less than a year than I have accomplished in my entire life. I got to meet and work with the most amazing people, I got to really experience what it will be like to have a community of educators by my side, and above all else, I became a part of our CEA union family, something far more valuable than any award.”
De Los Cientos and Mason-Brookes hope more Connecticut college students will join their college or university’s chapter of the CEA Aspiring Educators Program for the professional development it offers, the camaraderie it engenders, and the introduction to union membership it provides.
The NEA Aspiring Educators Conference is just one of the opportunities students have had to learn and grow alongside like-minded college students.
“Being at the 2024 NEA Aspiring Educators Conference has been an unforgettable experience,” says De Los Cientos. “It’s extremely inspiring to see my fellow AEs from across the country unite and share our passions for the profession of teaching. In addition, I’ve learned so much during my professional development sessions that I can use during my teaching career and in my CEA-AEP program and CCSU chapter. I’m beyond proud to call myself an AE member, and I will carry these memories and lessons with me forever!”
“I was able to engage in professional development about IDEA and 504 Plans and also learn how to ensure that my classroom is accessible for all students,” says Mason-Brookes. “I also got to meet with aspiring educators from across the nation and hear their struggles, but also their triumphs. Hearing these stories has allowed me to take the information from the national level and bring it back to my state and local level. I also found the conference to be extremely empowering, especially during an election year. Hearing the voices of Black Educators, especially as a Black Aspiring Educator, filled me with excitement to continue forth on my education journey.”
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