Welcome to a new school year:

Almost 19 years ago, I attended my first TESA conference at the Palmer Auditorium in Austin and talk about exciting!  If my memory serves me correctly, we had approximately 1,800 members in attendance and I was in awe. Now 19 years later,  I am still an awe of how great an organization TESA is. 

To each past president, board and committee member and to each TESA member, thank you for the confidence you  have  placed in me  to lead TESA.

I have chosen as my theme this year “TESA Achieving Excellence Hand-in- Hand.” The logo is three hands clasping with the colors being purple for royalty - we are all that and more; red for power - you all know that as educational support staff we have the power to make things happen to better not only ourselves but our students, those we work with and those we work for as well; and gold because it is the color that TESA chose to represent education.  I actually had two themes and logos going around in my mind, but with the changes that TESA has been going through during the past years, I felt this was exactly the one that I wanted to use. 

Bear with me just a few moments and I will share why this theme became so important for me.  TESA was founded in 1951, not by one person and one pair of hands, but by many, many pairs of hands working toward one goal and that was to make TESA the best educational support staff association in the State of Texas. 

Our TESA past presidents play a very important part in keeping TESA going.  These ladies are only one part of what has made TESA great.  Their hands joined with all of TESA to make this the only educational support staff association in the State of Texas.  TESA past presidents have inspired me to always keep TESA and its members foremost in my mind.  Thank you!

We must always remember that this organization was not founded by just one person and one pair of hands; it was founded by many pairs of hands -- hands that may have not known exactly what was coming around the corner but knew that this organization would touch many in the field of education. 

Though we know that in numbers our TESA membership is not what it was in years past, each pair of hands continues to strive to make TESA the best it can be.  As an organization, we must continue to strive to do what we can to keep TESA in the spotlight when it comes to serving others in the educational community.  I, as president, the elected and appointed board, the committee members and all past presidents are here to serve each and every member of TESA.  As members we must take pride in knowing that each individual pair of hands is striving to continue the tradition that was set in years past, that of service.  Whatever our situation in the coming years, we as a TESA whole will continue to strive to “Achieve Excellence Hand in Hand.” 

Again, thank you for honoring me by electing me as your president for the 2008-2009 year.  I am here to serve each and every TESA member and my hands are here to serve.  Let me leave you with these words: “Remember, we all stumble, everyone of us.  That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand-in-hand.”

Have a great year.

MaryAnn Hollingsworth

TESA President 2008-2009