ATPE Membership Specialist Yvette Milner, who works with volunteer leaders and ATPE members in school districts throughout the Texas Hill Country, recently helped Region 20 ATPE launch a pilot program matching the ATPE recruitment incentive offered to retired volunteer members. Region 20 stretches from the U.S.-Mexico border to Comal County north of San Antonio. “In a region this big, volunteers may be driving an hour each way to get somewhere, so we wanted to offer that additional incentive,” Milner says.

Over the summer, she presented a plan to the Region 20 officers in which the region would match the $100 incentive the state offers to retirees who recruit at three events. Region 20 ATPE would also offer $10 for each new member recruited to match the state’s One New = $10 for You incentive, as well as $10 for inactive members returning to ATPE.

Like the state’s retiree volunteer program, volunteers would need to participate in a minimum of three events to receive the $100 incentive. This could include new-teacher orientations, convocations, vendor fairs, and campus visits.

Milner says the additional help has been instrumental in recruiting more members, especially at events where multiple educator organizations are present. “I had done it all by myself before, but it can be challenging to do the work of a team when there's only one person,” Milner says. "In one school district, three volunteers worked with me. And between the four of us, we were able to get more applications than I would have been able to get on my own.”

So far, the program has been a success. Retired associate members who are working part-time, as well as one public member, got on board. Some volunteers were even willing to do more than three events. According to Milner, “They feel strongly about ATPE and really wanted to get the word out there.”

North East ISD member Yolanda Capetillo agrees: “I get excited when we recruit new members or members who left but return to us because we are the best!”

Capetillo attended several events starting in July. Her main focus is to inform fellow educators of ATPE’s legal benefits and why they need protection*. She also emphasizes ATPE’s advocacy efforts, member-exclusive discounts, and status as the largest organization of its kind in Texas.

According to Milner, volunteers in the program had recruited at least 160 members by the end of August, but the work isn’t done. The program runs parallel to the state’s retiree volunteer program throughout the 90-Day Campaign, which ends Oct. 31.

There’s still plenty of time for every member to encourage their colleagues to join ATPE. The last day to join without a 30-day wait for employment rights defense insurance* is Sept. 30, and with this important deadline approaching, there’s no better time than now to share the benefits ATPE has to offer.

 

*Eligibility, terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit atpe.org/protection to view important disclosures and complete details of the insurance policy. Staff attorney services are provided separate from the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Program.