Let me preface this by saying that I have never been to a National RA before. Initially, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people present. There were roughly 7,000 voting delegates and an additional nearly 2,000 non-voting delegates/guests. The atmosphere was exhilarating. I found it an awe-inspiring experience to spend 4 days with people, who are just as dedicated to education as we are. The first day was a kick-off, getting everyone in the mood, getting the atmosphere amped up to carry us through all of the business we needed to do. We worked diligently over those 4 days.  We elected new NEA board members. We worked through 3 Constitutional Amendments, 5 By-Law Amendments, 7 Standing Rules Amendments, 14 Legislative Platform Amendments, 16 Resolutions Amendments, and a whopping 122 New Business Items. Adhering to Robert’s Rules of Order was necessary to make the entire system work. I found it fascinating that the system ran as efficiently as it did, allowing folks to speak on topics they were passionate about (both for and against), while keeping the business moving along. It was truly amazing to have so many dedicated and talented people together working towards shaping a common goal and future for our nation’s schools. However, do not think that it was all work and no play; we did still have time for exploration and fun in the evenings after the meetings had adjourned. Orlando was a very welcoming and wonderful place to visit. From the Disney parks, to the great food, to the dinners hosted by the caucuses, there was something for everyone. I even got used to the “air you can wear” humidity and the daily thunderstorms. It is a powerful feeling to know that you are representing NEA’s 3,000,000 members and all of the students and families we serve. I hope our great work will carry us through this school year, until we meet again next summer in Washington, DC. I think we made Independence and Missouri proud, and I hope to be able to attend another National RA.

Matthew Rorabaugh-Irwin