Notification of openings on TESOL Affiliate Boards will be sent out soon to members. I encourage people to consider running for a position. Our profession is undergoing significant change, and being on a Board provides new connections to colleagues around the state and the nation where opportunities of leadership can enlarge the scope of your skills and experience. You will have the opportunity to work alongside seasoned members and serve in an active and meaningful manner. My involvement with my TESOL Affiliate was primarily as a presenter. In 2014, however, I was elected to the Washington (State) Association for the Education of Speakers of Other Languages Board (WAESOL). I had also served on the Spokane Regional ESL Conference Planning Committee before that and found both to be professionally enriching. Let me share my experience.

The Spokane Regional ESL Conference committee is a vibrant committee that has lasted over thirty years and has put on an annual conference in Eastern Washington. It has grown to over 400 attendees and has demonstrated a nimbleness by attracting k-12 ELL specialists and classroom teachers to attend and present. It was my first experience serving in such an organization. Walking into the first meeting of this planning group about twenty years ago, I recognized that I was in the presence of the local movers and shakers in my field. These were known presenters, and the members represented various ESL agencies around Eastern Washington. I learned the logistics of planning a conference. The relationships formed during that time continue to today. This conference is in late February every year (https://spokaneesl.com/). Get involved in your local organizations! It can open doors.

It was from the Spokane Regional ESL Conference Committee that I took my next step of participation on the WAESOL Board. This organization has been operating for over 40 years in the State of Washington as an affiliate of TESOL. This link describes the various roles on the Board: (https://waesol.org/board/duties-of-officers/). This committee is in charge of the state ESL conference in October and also publishes an online journal (https://waesol.org/publications/we/). My circle of professional connections increased dramatically due to my involvement.

During my time on the Board, I was presented with an opportunity to become a Co-Editor of the 2015 Tri-TESOL Conference Proceedings (https://waesol.org/2015-tri-tesol-conference-proceedings/). I worked alongside a leader from the B.C. TEAL affiliate. It was an invaluable time of learning about editing and the process of creating the proceedings. Also, the WAESOL Board was involved in bringing the 2016 TESOL conference to Seattle. Again, my world was enlarged by working with colleagues from all over the world.

The WAESOL Board shifted from an advisory board to a working board where committee members hold key positions of leadership in various areas, and this has allowed members to develop leadership and has impacted WAESOL in meaningful ways (https://waesol.org/board/comittees/). We have sent members of our board to the Washington D.C. Policy Summit to meet with our local representatives. Being on the Board creates many avenues of involvement.

These experiences have left me more confident as a professional and an active member of a discipline that is filled with colleagues with whom I have collaborated.

I am the 2020 President of WAESOL. Join me on the local Board in your area in serving ELL students and teachers around the state and beyond. Join me in being a part of advocating for ELL students and families in this time of change and challenge to our profession. If you have questions, feel free to email me at martha@waesol.org.

To submit your name and application for the election, check your local website of your affiliate.

Mary Martha Savage, Ph.D. is the 2019 President-Elect of WAESOL and an Associate Professor in the MTSL/Teacher Education department at Gonzaga University.