Volunteer Spotlight: Annabel Cruz | La Joya ATPE
The thousands of ATPE volunteers across Texas are the backbone of this association. Their hard work and dedication allow ATPE to serve the state’s largest community of educators. In this ongoing ATPE News series, we spotlight volunteers who set a great example of service for their fellow educators.
Annabel Cruz | La Joya ATPE
Annabel Cruz, who works as a biology teacher at Palmview High School in La Joya ISD. She was also recognized at the 2024 ATPE Summit as the Doug Rogers Campus Representative of the Year in the category for local units/ISDs with 501-1,000 members.
A Personal Approach to Recruiting
Cruz has served as campus representative at Palmview High School for the past four years. She believes her personality and reputation on her campus have helped her excel in this role.
“I’ve always been somebody that’s outgoing,” Cruz says. “That’s just my personality. I am also always involved in everything and anything. That’s why I am well known on campus.”
When she speaks to a potential member, Cruz finds it helps to open up personally and let them know about her firsthand experience receiving support from ATPE.
“I share my experiences and what I have gone through,” Cruz explains. “I would let them know that whenever I had questions, ATPE was always there for me, regardless of the outcome. The organization represents us fairly. It doesn’t matter who you know, ATPE represents each person equally. People want to know that they have somebody standing behind them if they have questions.”
Cruz also believes that it is important to demonstrate how ATPE can help people in a community like La Joya.
“This is a small community. Many of us who work in the district are from here. We went to high school here, or we have relatives that connect us in some way. We always are trying to help each other with whatever they need. It’s just who we are.”
“They might say no right now, but later on, they may change their mind. It is important to have that relationship. Never close that door because it can swing both ways. You never know when it’s going to swing back around.”
Annabel Cruz
Leveraging Sales Experience
In addition to her outgoing personality, Cruz draws on her experiences outside school to help make her a more effective recruiter. Many of those lessons come from her time selling Mary Kay cosmetics. Some experiences have taught her practical skills that come in handy for an educator, such as how to manage her time. Others have helped her learn how to more authentically connect with people, allowing her to effectively recruit new members.
“You need to be very humble,” Cruz says. “You need to be approachable and sincere. I have learned that you are selling yourself. When you are somebody people can relate to, people will buy into you as an individual. When you are open and speak from the heart, people can see that you’re sincere. That’s when you can get them to really listen.”
Cruz also learned over the years that it is just as important for her to listen to potential recruits as it to speak to them. This allows her to build a relationship that helps her close the sale, even if not immediately.
“Listening to what they are saying helps you build a rapport with them. They might say no right now, but later on, they may change their mind. It is important to have that relationship. Never close that door because it can swing both ways. You never know when it’s going to swing back around.”
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