Volunteer Spotlight: Angel Mendoza

ATPE’s Advocacy Is a Powerful Recruiting Tool

While Mendoza always mentions professional liability insurance and employment protection when describing the benefits of ATPE membership, he has found that advocacy efforts also appeal to many potential members.

“I talk to them about how I feel advocacy is right up there with those other benefits,” Mendoza says. “Advocacy is especially important here in Texas. The average educator salary is around 30^th in the nation, school funding is low, and the only way we are going to change that is to have enough people talking to their representatives so they understand how important public education is to us and our families. That’s a message I try and communicate to potential members because it’s so important.”

Mendoza has also found that the message resonates well with younger educators who sometimes need more persuading to join ATPE.

“When I first meet them, I sometimes get the impression that the younger generation is really eager to change things,” he says. “They want to contribute to the world, their workplace, and the people around them. When I get that impression, I explain the things that we are trying to change, such as cost-of-living adjustments for retirees, efforts to protect Social Security benefits, and work to improve teacher compensation. If they are that type of person, they are going to want to join and help.”

He Doesn’t Let ‘No’ Stop Him

Mendoza says he was not thinking about joining ATPE when his wife, who is also an educator in Garland ISD, was invited to a Garland ATPE meeting by a co-worker. He joined her at the meeting and connected with the message he heard.

“Leaving the meeting, I understood the purpose of the organization was to improve the lives of teachers and students,” Mendoza recalls. “I signed up that same day. Having been an engineer, I look for ways to fix and improve how things operate.  My wife, nieces, nephews, and friends are educators, and I want to improve their situation.”

Since joining, Mendoza has found that he is a natural recruiter and enjoys serving as a volunteer.

“I feel a personal sense of accomplishment when ATPE is successful. I am also very social and getting the opportunity to visit with friends and co-workers at our local and regional meetings makes my day.” 

Mendoza believes in adding a personal touch to recruiting. Each year, he asks his administration for a list of new teachers and their classrooms so he can reach out directly and tell them about ATPE.  

“I do everything in person and try and build relationships,” he says. “I let them know I think it is important for every teacher to be involved, whether they are active or not.”

For people who might feel nervous approaching colleagues about joining ATPE, Mendoza has a simple reminder.

“These are your co-workers, so you need to learn who they are, get to know them, befriend them, and support them.”

Be Seen to Be Heard

Mendoza also maintains a visible presence on campus by asking administrators for opportunities to speak during meetings and training events. He lets colleagues know they can reach out to him if they want to learn more about ATPE because he believes the most important part of recruiting is approaching potential members, even if they may not initially be interested.

“If you don’t walk up to people and talk to them and give them a chance to say no, then their answer is obviously going to be no. So I don’t let the possibility that someone may say no discourage me from talking to people.”

If a person does say no, Mendoza does not let it faze him. He simply tries to recruit them again the next year.

“I have people who turn me down, and I always go back to them and ask, ‘Is this the year?’ Sometimes they continue to say no, and sometimes they say yes.

“That doesn’t happen all the time, but it is kind of like golf. Every once in a while, you hit a really good shot. That is similar to the feeling you get when you recruit someone to become an ATPE member.”