Five PSRPs, including two from the same local in Oregon, are winners of $1,000 grants as recipients of the AFT’s 2003 Robert G. Porter Scholars Program. The others winners are from the other side of the country—two from New York state and one from New Jersey. The scholarships—begun in 1993 to honor the memory of the AFT’s late secretary-treasurer—are given each year to graduating high school seniors who are the children of AFT members as well as to AFT members themselves to help them pursue further education in labor relations or topics related to their work. This year’s PSRP winners are:

Angela Coe, a school secretary and member of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, plans to use her scholarship for studies toward a degree at Nyack College; one of her research projects focuses on improving career opportunities in other educational fields for secretaries.

Olga Filinova, an educational assistant and member of the Portland (Ore.) Federation of Teachers and Classified Employees, is a Russian immigrant and former teacher there who plans to use the money to help her earn a teaching certificate at Portland State University.

Dianne Gollhofer, a paraprofessional trainer and member of the Portland federation, plans to use the grant to receive additional training in her specialty—effective education for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder—through a program based at the University of North Carolina.

Phyllis Jacobson, a computer lab paraprofessional and member of the Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.) Teachers Association, is working toward earning a master’s degree in computers in education at Long Island University.

Steven Muniz, a paraprofessional and member of the Perth Amboy (N.J.) Federation/AFT, will use his scholarship to continue his studies at Kean University to earn a teaching certificate and degree in history.