Two Edmonds groups have won statewide awards from the Washington Education Association (WEA) Human and Civil Rights Committee.

The Teachers of Color Foundation was awarded the 2018 Community Partners Human and Civil Rights Award. The Edmonds Educators of Color Network received the 2018 Elian Akagi Cultural Awareness Human and Civil Rights Award.

Both awards come with statewide recognition, a small monetary gift and a keepsake.

WEA President Kim Mead will presented both awards at the April 24 School Board meeting, along with Edmonds Educators Association president Andi Nofziger.

The Teachers of Color Foundation provides scholarships and mentor support to get potential educators of color credentialed and teaching in the Edmonds School District. Nofziger explained the Teachers of Color Foundation was created a couple of years ago to help the district create a faculty and staff that matched the demographics of the district’s students. Since there weren’t many educators of color coming out of prep programs, “we decided we needed to grow our own,” Nofziger said.

“I think this started as a big challenge for all of us, all of us in the system,” said Board Director Diana White, who has also served in the foundation. “If we are going to talk about this, we need to walk the talk. We found a way to make this work.”

The Educators of Color Network was created because it was noticed that, though the district makes an effort to hire people of color in educating roles, there was a high turnover rate for teachers of color.

The Educators of Color Network does outreach to educators of color in the district, but also meets with human resources and the superintendent to set goals and make plans for meeting those goals.

–Photos by Natalie Covate