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is your source for free news and information in Columbia and the Midlands. Though 220 State St. in West Columbia is far from move-in ready, Elizabeth Gressette can see past the chipped paint and exposed wall studs to envisage the building’s potential. Four decades ago, that same foresight allowed her to help launch one of the largest professional organizations in South Carolina. The Palmetto State Teachers Association (PSTA) was founded in the Midlands in 1976 with the first meetings held at Brookland-Cayce High School in West Columbia. Forty years and 12,500 educators later, PSTA has grown in membership because of its experienced staff, many of whom have been teachers themselves; its commitment to giving teachers a voice; and the respect it has engendered within the state Legislature, said Kathy Maness, PSTA’s current executive director. “We pride ourselves on being a positive voice for public school educators whether we are working at the General Assembly, the State Department of Education or with other organizations in the education field,” added Toni Chewning, PSTA’s communications director.

A growing membership has created a need for more office space, so PSTA is getting ready to move — in a sense, back to its roots. Construction crews are hard at work renovating the historic building at 220 State St. into PSTA’s new home, a new home that will provide triple the space available at its current 2015 Assembly St. location. Historical records show that PSTA’s “new” home was constructed about 100 years ago. Over the years it has been, among other things, a shoe store and a bar. Will Bamboo Blinds WarpBut this fall it will become a place where teachers learn new ways to shape future generations of students.Teacup Pomeranian Puppies For Sale In Winnipeg It’s exciting to come back to State Street, where it all began 40 years ago, Gressette said.Teacup Maltipoo Puppies For Sale In New Jersey

PSTA’s first home was a small office on State Street across from Brookland-Cayce High School. Gressette became the organization’s executive director in 1980 after teaching kindergarten for 10 years in Oconee County and Lexington School District Two. Though she’s not officially a staff or board member anymore, Gressette will see the renovation project through. She has remained an integral part of PSTA in her retirement, using her own money to purchase the 220 State St. building. She also owns the current PSTA office location and leases it to the organization. “This is where my heart is,” she said. Teachers will be able to enjoy the new PSTA home, too, when they stop by on Saturdays for professional development classes, another of the organization’s services. Educators who’ve been a part of PSTA aren’t surprised by its growth. “I have learned more than I ever thought I would about how politics affect education in South Carolina through working with PSTA.

I have met with and still talk with senior legislators in South Carolina, learned how to look at policies and issues a little differently,” said Cliff Barrineau, a former Dreher High School teacher who now teaches at Midlands Technical College. “I know the power that teachers can have if we unite and support each other,” added Kim Gibson, a teacher at Oak Grove Elementary in Lexington. “I have been a part of many great changes in education, in part because PSTA is vested in the teachers.” Advocacy and appreciation for teachers While Maness will have a new office on State Street, she spends most of her time away from her desk. Most days, she’s at the State House keeping an eye on important, education-related bills and working with legislators to make the best decisions for teachers and students. “It’s so important that teachers’ voices are heard,” Maness said. To which Chewning added, “We’ve been there and can represent them.” When she’s not talking with a state senator, Maness is spending time with future teachers at high schools and colleges.

She speaks with teacher cadets about issues facing education and the next steps in their careers. Maness said supporting teachers before they arrive for their first day in the classroom is critical, especially at this time of teacher shortages. Chewning agreed, stating, “We want to keep the best and brightest in South Carolina.” College students studying to become teachers also can receive assistance from the community, Maness said, pointing out that last year PSTA collected donations of professional attire that was worn by about 130 students during job interviews. Teachers are far from forgotten once they join PSTA, Maness added. Those who are judged to be outstanding in the classroom are eligible for free trips thanks to corporate partners that support the organization’s Strategies for Teacher Advancement and Renewal (STAR) program. Gressette leads such trips twice a year, during which teachers have the chance to network with other educators and, most importantly, to relax and recharge.