Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) State President Ella Gauthier is all about building connections. Elected this past April at the TRTA Convention, Gauthier greeted the attendees ready to share her unique vision for the future of our longstanding organization.<\/p>\n
For her 2024-2026 term, Gauthier devised a theme: TRTA: Bridge to the Future<\/em>. When asked, \u201cwhy this theme?\u201d Ella responded, \u201cBridges that span our goals and dreams are built by teamwork. I see all of us\u2014TRTA members\u2014as bridge builders between our organization and active educators, our organization and retirees who are not members, our organization and the public, and our organization and legislators.\u201d<\/p>\n Reflecting on the many successes TRTA has had over the years, and especially during the 88th<\/sup> Legislative Session in 2023, Ella says, \u201cI want our members to know that we still need to make important connections\u2014building bridges. We still need to encourage public school retirees to become involved in TRTA. We still need to educate members about our goals and mission.\u201d<\/p>\n Ella takes inspiration from a line in the poem \u201cThe Bridge Builder\u201d by Will Allen Dromgoole:<\/p>\n \u201cA youth whose feet must pass this way.<\/em><\/p>\n This chasm that has been naught to me<\/em><\/p>\n To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;<\/em><\/p>\n He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;<\/em><\/p>\n Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI see TRTA and its members as building a bridge for future retirees,\u201d says Gauthier.<\/p>\n Gauthier first joined TRTA after she retired in 2003 after 32 years as an educator, 11 years of those out of the classroom as a Success Coordinator. \u201cMy initial TRTA membership was a retirement gift from a very dear friend\u2014Aleen Jones.\u201d Jones and her husband were active members of Pasadena Area Retired School Employees (PARSE).<\/p>\n During Ella\u2019s first year of retirement, she says initially, she felt compelled to attend meetings since her membership was a gift. However, after attending several meetings, she \u201cfound a group of committed retired educators actively involved with programs designed to give back to their community.\u201d<\/p>\n PARSE participated in ongoing tutoring programs in the elementary schools (HOST), donated goods to various agencies, volunteered to clean up parts of various highways and streets in the Pasadena area, and educated members about the importance of advocating for a sound pension fund. Not surprisingly, Ella also admits, \u201cwe had a FUN time,\u201d adding that there were luncheons, trips, and interesting and educational programs.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t long before Ella began taking on leadership roles in PARSE, first as Secretary, and then as First Vice-President and President. As part of District 4, Ella served as Treasurer, Parliamentarian and District President. Ella first served at the state level on the District Presidents Council as Vice-Chair. She decided to run for State Secretary\/Treasurer in 2018 and continued in state leadership positions as Second Vice-President (2020-2022) and First Vice-President (2022-2024), before being elected President in 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cWith each position I learned something new about TRTA and its members,\u201d Ella says.<\/p>\n Ella\u2019s favorite thing about TRTA members is that \u201cthey want to make retirement benefits secure for those that are following in their footsteps\u2014TRTA members are still looking out for others!\u201d Seeing members in action \u201cstill educating, still involved, wanting to make a positive difference,\u201d is something she finds heartwarming.<\/p>\n Ella encourages all public-school retirees in Texas to join TRTA and become a part of this legacy.<\/p>\n \u201cAs public-school retirees we have ONE organization advocating for us. That organization is TRTA.\u00a0 Our tagline says it all: TRTA, The Voice for All Public Education Retirees!\u201d says Ella.<\/p>\n While the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) manages the pension fund, she reminds members, \u201cIt is important that we realize TRS cannot advocate for public education retirees. TRTA is your advocate!\u201d<\/p>\n She also thinks members benefit greatly from being a part of one of TRTA\u2019s 230-plus local chapters. \u201cLocal chapters provide opportunities for its members to learn more about happenings in their communities, participating in trips that are fun and educational, and participating in projects that are beneficial to students in their communities!\u201d<\/p>\n As someone who has been a member of TRTA for more than twenty years, Ella\u2019s experiences and insights tell a story about public education retirees in Texas that rings true all across the state. Educators build bridges, and continue to do so long after leaving the classroom.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) State President Ella Gauthier is all about building connections. Elected this past April at the TRTA Convention, Gauthier greeted the attendees ready to share her unique vision for the future of our longstanding organization. For her 2024-2026 term, Gauthier devised a theme: TRTA: Bridge to the Future. When asked, \u201cwhy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":68189,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[636],"class_list":["post-67952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-trta-presdient"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n