Each year the UFT awards $1 million in scholarships to academically excellent and financially eligible New York City public high school seniors through the Albert Shanker College Scholarship Fund. To receive a $5,000 scholarship from the fund, those selected must be accepted in a full-time, matriculated, degree-granting program at an accredited college or university. Encourage eligible students to take advantage of this great opportunity by applying for a scholarship. You can get more information and application materials on the UFT website. The deadline for schools to mail the application is Jan. 31, 2012.

The International Labor Communications Assocation held its annual convention in Seattle in late September, and the UFT received several honors at the organization’s awards ceremony.

The UFT’s website, uft.org, won first prize in the “Best Design” category for websites, and Edwize took home first in the “Best Web-Based Journal” category for the second year in a row.

The New York Teacher also garnered several accolades, including first prize for “Best Series of Articles” (the “War on Truth” series) and “Best Cover or Front Page” (“DOE Pits Parents Against Parents,” at right). A UFT editorial cartoon, “NY State Test Progress Victory Parade,” won second place for “Best Cartoon”; “The school that never closes” won third for “Best Feature Story.”

The awards were for work done in 2010. Here is a complete list of winners.

Edwize took first place in the “Best Blog” category at the annual awards presentation of the Metro New York Labor Communications Council, held this year on June 17 at the Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies. This is the third year in a row we’ve received top honors from Metro — in 2009 and 2010 we were named “Best New Media.”

The judges wrote: “Edwize is the best education union blog we’ve ever seen. True to the blog format with its personal tone of powerful and moving member-written features that present authors as both teachers and union members. Regularly updated with diverse contributors — both staff and members. The blog is a pleasure to read.”

UFT.org was awarded first place in the category “General Excellence — Web.”

Thank you to Metro, and especially our writers, readers, and commenters.

On Feb. 1 and 3, the Panel for Education Policy will vote on the DOE’s proposal to close 25 city schools.

Parents, teachers, community members will be there, outside Brooklyn Tech HS, united with the message: Closing struggling schools rather than working with them and offering them the support they need to serve ALL their students is not educational “reform” — it’s educational neglect. Spread the word!

Download the flyer >>

The UFT is holding an essay contest for NYC public school teachers.

You’ve got 500 words. Now enter a UFT essay contest and tell Chancellor Cathie Black about all the value you add to the lives of students! What work do you do every day? What makes you so special? What do you do that often gets lost in all the talk about “reform” and “accountability”?

We will print the winning essays in the New York Teacher and post them on the UFT website. Winners will also receive a ticket (a $225 value) to the Sixth Annual PBS Celebration of Teaching and Learning at the New York Hilton on Saturday, March 19. Three lucky grand prize winners will also participate in a panel discussion at the Celebration with UFT President Michael Mulgrew and other educational leaders.

Mail your essays to: Essay, 52 Broadway, New York, NY 10004, Attention: Joseph Colletti. You can also email your essays to jcolletti@uft.org, but embed your essay in the actual email, as attachments don’t always open. Double-space, keep it to no more than 500 words, and please do not send any photos, articles, drawings or other materials with your essay. We cannot return essays. Be sure to include your name, address, school address and a personal phone number and personal (non-DOE) email with the essay.

The entry deadline is Feb. 25.

Edwize took first place in the “Best Blog” category at the annual awards presentation of the International Labor Communications Association, held on Nov. 19 at the AFT headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The judges wrote: “Great looking; includes nice mix of videos, text, images, charts; clear bold headlines, links to comments. Great writing like this: www.edwize.org/an-apology-from-a-teacher. Clear agenda that is advanced; comprehensive use of diverse sources.”

Thank you to ILCA, and especially our writers, readers, and commenters.

For the second year in a row, Edwize took first place in the “Best New Media” category at the annual awards presentation of the Metro New York Labor Communications Council, held this year on June 11 at Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians.

The judges wrote: “This year, UFT took first prize again with its winning formula that gives real, live, flesh and blood teachers a chance to correspond about the trials and triumphs of a New York City school teacher.”

Thank you to the MLCC, and especially our writers, readers, and commenters.

A million dollar opportunity is a terrible thing to waste.

This year’s deadline, Jan. 31, is fast approaching for the UFT’s annual awarding of $1 million in total scholarships to academically excellent and financially eligible New York City public high school seniors through the Albert Shanker College Scholarship Fund.

To receive a $5,000 scholarship from the fund, those selected must be accepted in a full-time, matriculated, degree-granting program at an accredited college or university.

Visit the Scholarship Fund Web page for more information.

Do you know a special high school senior in need of a scholarship?

Each year, the Albert Shanker College Scholarship Fund of the UFT proudly gives out nearly $1 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships to academically excellent and financially eligible students from New York City public schools.

The deadline to apply for the 2010 scholarships is Jan. 31. Encourage students to apply today.

Visit the Scholarship Fund Web page for more information.

On Nov. 1 the UFT paid tribute to its members, both past and present, at the 49th annual Teacher Union Day ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan.

On Oct. 1, UFT President Michael Mulgrew was interviewed on NY1′s “Road to City Hall.”

Part 1

Part 2 after the jump. More »

This past spring, the UFT helped secure two new subway train cars for the students of Transit Tech High School. The MTA videotaped the delivery of the cars, and is featuring a story on that project as part of its September edition of Transit Transit News Magazine.

Today’s New York Times has a profile of UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

And here’s a video from Sept. 17 when Mulgrew appeared on the “PIX11 News at 10” to help weatherman, and former teacher, Mr. G hand out school supplies to needy children.

Hundreds of UFT members took to the streets for the city’s annual Labor Day parade on Sept. 12. Braving the elements they marched up Fifth avenue wearing T-shirts commemorating the union’s upcoming 50th anniversary.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew appeared on Fox’s “Good Day NY” this morning, Sept. 8. He spoke to Rosanna Scotto about swine flu precautions and President Obama’s back-to-school speech to students:

We think the speech is fantastic. Anytime you can have the president engage students and talk about being responsible towards their education, it’s a great thing. And as a parent, and as a teacher, the idea that the president says there’s no excuse not to do your homework, that’s something we’ll always get behind 100 percent.