The Grow Your Own Teachers rally was held on Wednesday, February 18 at 11:30 am in the Capitol Rotunda. Nearly 200 GYO teacher candidates and supporters from around the state, including higher education and community partners, participated.
The purposes of the rally:
- Give GYO candidates from around the state a chance to celebrate together
- Thank the legislature for their support of Grow Your Own
- Hear from legislators and other colleagues
- Enable GYO candidates to meet their own legislators and thank them in person
- Make the case for the funds needed in FY 10.
A large number of legislators spoke, including Speaker Madigan, Senators Martinez, Althoff, and Raoul and Representatives Golar, Harris, Mendoza, and Lang. In addition, all teacher candidates present (approximately 80) came to the podium to identify themselves, and a number gave moving testimonials to the program. Here are two candidates from Rockford, Allynthia Benton-White and Cynthia Saporiti at the podium:
After the rally, candidates and supporters spent two hours meeting with legislators indvidually before boarding their buses to return to their cities across the state.
