Good Cause -- Leader of the pack

Interested in her children’s school and in showing the kids her

concern, Nancy Waters decided five years ago to join the Parent Teacher

Student Assn. at Sowers Middle School. Now she leads the 1,316-member

group as its president.

During the course of those five years Waters held various positions

within the organization from corresponding secretary to parliamentarian,

to treasurer.

She is a little more than half way through her one-year term as

president.

“It truly has been a wonderful, worthwhile experience,” she said.

“I’ve worked with some parents and students who really care about making

a difference.”

One of her most important duties is to coordinate the work of officers

and committees in order to reach the group’s goals for the school year.

The PTSA executive board, principal and assistant principals meet in

August to outline programs and school events that they feel the PTSA

would like to oversee for the year. At that meeting they discuss project

expenses for programs and come up with a proposed budget.

The Sowers PTSA this year has 45 teachers, three administrators, 750

parents and 518 students. The group organizes fund-raisers and rewards

students for helping with the events that benefit the 1,200 students

attending Sowers.

“The reason I got involved in the PTSA is because I wanted to show my

children that I am interested in what goes on in their school,” Waters

said. “Studies have proven that children perform better at school if

their parents show interest and take an active role in their education.”

A few of the programs that the Sowers PTSA supports is assemblies and

parent education.

“We’ve also had a Huntington Beach detective speak at one of our

meetings regarding Internet safety and we are having a speaker at our May

meeting talk about bullying at school,” she said.

The PTSA also supports teacher requests for funds for a particular

program or need.

The PTSA also contributed $4,000 toward “Binder Reminders,” which is a

day planner that each student receives in order to track such things as

homework and tests. There is also the contribution of funds toward the

toastmasters program, after school sports and Viking Pride, a student

recognition program.