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9ATPE leadership led de la Garza to similar realizations. At oneof the first ATPE events he attended, he heard Rep. Jose Menendez(D–San Antonio) discuss the perception around the Capitolthat educators don’t vote. That presentation “lit the fire,” de laGarza recalls. “Wait a minute: This teacher votes.” He began tostand up at every faculty meeting and remind his colleagues thatthey, too, needed to make educators’ voices heard at the polls.“Twenty years ago, I would not have walked into a legislator’soffice and asked anything,” de la Garza says. “But being a memberof ATPE has empowered me and given me the right tools to approachlawmakers and ask about their views and what they standfor. I know that I can pick up the phone or knock on legislators’doors and they will listen—but not if we don’t approach them.”ATPE is an avenue for educators to actively participate incommunity, state and national affairs involving public education,something Kilday says more educators need to recognize is aprofessional obligation.“Many educators feel like their jobs are only in the classroomsor hallways of our school, when in fact our job extends out into thecommunity,” she says. “As educators, we need to remember thatwe are more knowledgeable [about schools] than those who arecharged with making the rules by which we must abide. For thisreason, we must be the positive voice of public education.”As president, de la Garza is looking forward to serving as chairof the first ATPE HOD to meet at the all-new ATPE Summit—as well as continuing ATPE’s proud tradition of conducting itsbusiness with dignity. “We can agree to disagree, but we do it veryprofessionally,” he says.De la Garza strongly encourages veteran ATPE leaders to bringfirst-timers to Leader U 2010, ATPE’s Political Involvement Trainingand Lobby Day in February 2011, and the summit in July2011. As his personal ATPE experience proves, event attendanceis a powerful trigger for leadership success.Case closed. AIn her role as committee chairwoman, ATPE State Past President Connie Kildaypresents the 2010-11 Resolutions Committee report to the HOD March 27.Committee service is an excellent stepping stone for region and state leadership.ATPE State Past President Jerry Bonham and State President David de la Garza wereboth inspired to pursue state leadership roles because of their positive experiences inthe House of Delegates.The ATPE House of Delegates will hold its 31st meeting during the ATPE Summit,July 20–23, 2011, at the Austin Convention Center.2010-11 ATPE State President David de la Garza accepts the gavel from 2009-10 ATPEState President Sam Spurlock during the 30th Annual ATPE State Convention.