Los Angeles High School Graduate Wins Robert G. Porter Scholarship

Washington, D.C. – Kaitlin Plat, a 2005 graduate of North Hollywood High School for the Highly Gifted in North Hollywood, Calif., is one of four highly accomplished high school seniors to receive the Robert G. Porter Scholarship awarded by the American Federation of Teachers.

Each year, the AFT presents an $8,000 scholarship to each of four outstanding high school seniors who are the children of AFT members.  Recipients must show outstanding service to their communities and plan to pursue a career in labor, education, health or government service.  The AFT will recognize the recipients during the union’s biennial teacher conference, QuEST, held July 7-10 in Washington, D.C.

Active in her school and community, Plat was the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper and a member of the Mock Trial club.  Additionally she was a volunteer at a local school and tutoring center, where she served as a tutor and homework helper.  In her application, she described how her work at the tutoring center, “…has caused me to realize how much one person can affect others, and the true meaning of being a role model.”

The Robert G. Porter Scholars Program is named in honor of the late secretary-treasurer of the AFT, who served for more than 30 years.  Porter was known for his commitment to improving the quality of public education and public service.

Plat’s mother, Deborah Plat, is a member of the United Teachers of Los Angeles.

Kaitlin Plat lives in Encino, Calif., and will be attending New York University in the fall where she plans to study English and comparative literature.

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