Thirteen of the 2008 Union Plus Scholarship recipients represent the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). They are among 108 students from 40 unions awarded a total of $150,000 in Union Plus Scholarships.

“With credit so tight, prices rising and fewer loans available to students who want to attend college, scholarship programs like these are more important than ever,” says Leslie Tolf, president of Union Privilege, the organization that administers the scholarship program. 

This year’s AFT scholarship winners are:

• Sam Cialek of Woodbury, MN, whose mother Grace Cialek is a member of Local 28 ($1,000);
• Alexandra Clement of Newtown, CT, whose mother Linda Thomas-Clement is a member of Local 5047 ($1,000);
• Lindsay Cohen of Wantagh, NY, whose mother Carrie Cohen is a member of Local 1665 ($1,000);
• Rhianna Jones of Chicago, whose mother Nancy Jones is a member of Local 1 ($1,000);
• Andrew Kiselica of Newtown, PA, whose father Mark Kiselica is a member of Local 2364 ($4,000);
• Alleson Knox of Chicago, whose mother Denise Gresham-Knox is a member of Local 1 ($1,000);
• Carlie Lagarde of Metairie, LA, whose mother Jeannie Lagarde is a member of Local 1559, and whose father Edward Lagarde is a member of United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA) Local 60 ($1,000);
• Danielle Leibert of New York City, NY, whose mother Marcy Leibert is a member of Local 860 ($500);
• Alison Mall of Anchorage, AK, who is a member of Local 4996 ($1,000);
• Kaylyn O’Brien of Laurel, NY, whose mother Kathleen O’Brien is a member of Local 3023 and whose father John O’Brien is a member of International Union of Police Associations (IUPA) Local 4 ($1,000);
• Lorena Ruedas of Sacramento, CA, whose parents Manuel and Sandra Ruedas are both members of Local 2279 ($4,000);
• Tobi Skotnes of Long Beach, CA, whose mother Sheri Pavelka is a member of Local 1021, and whose father Keith Skotnes is a member of United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Local 509 ($2,000); and
• Zechariah Tan of Lexington, MA, whose father John Tan is a member of Local 66 ($2,000).

The 13 AFT winners come from a wide array of personal and family backgrounds. Many shared stories of how personally and profoundly the union experience has touched their lives. Andrew, for example, shared a painful story of how his great-great-grandmother learned that her husband had died in a coalmine cave-in. “When she opened the door she saw the truck pulling away and discovered the body of her husband had been dumped on the front porch,” he says. “He was unceremoniously wrapped in a black bag, after toiling in the mines for years trying to make a living so he could support his family.”

Life got better for Andrew’s family, as for so many other American families, because they joined unions. “I am fortunate to have the opportunities I have today because of the unions that represented my grandfathers, and because of the AFT that represents my father. Due to unions, I am blessed to create a positive vision for my future.” That vision is to become a lawyer and to dedicate himself to resolving workplace discrimination issues.

Union Plus Scholarship awards are granted to students attending a two-year college, four-year college, graduate school or a recognized technical or trade school. Since 1992, Union Plus has awarded more than $2.4 million in scholarships to union families.

Recipients are selected based on academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. Please visit www.UnionPlus.org/ Scholarships for information on eligibility and to receive a notification when the application is available for next year’s scholarships.

Union Privilege offers an array of Union Plus benefits that save money for union members and their families. These include mortgage and finance benefits, education and insurance benefits and even money-saving offers on health services and vacations. Union members can visit www.UnionPlus.org to find out which programs their unions offer.