Tucson Values Teachers Hosts Downtown Block Party to Celebrate K-12 Teachers

April 15, 2010 - PRLog -- Educational nonprofit Tucson Values Teachers (TVT) and other community organizations will celebrate educators and toast their significance at a large, public event in downtown Tucson.

“Toast to Teachers,” an outdoor block party, will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 7 on Toole Avenue north of Congress Street, which will be closed off between the Cup Café at Hotel Congress and Maynards Market and Kitchen. Admission is free and vendors will be offering festive food. The Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Los Diablitos Azules Mariachi band from Sunnyside High School and other groups will perform.

With hundreds of K-12 teachers in Southern Arizona facing potential layoffs and salary cuts, TVT planned the event to let K-12 teachers know how much they are valued.

“This is a hard time to be a teacher and nobody can dispute that,” said Jacquelyn Jackson, executive director of Tucson Values Teachers. “The ‘Toast to Teachers’ is an opportunity for the entire community to let teachers know how much they are valued. We want to celebrate all the good that teachers bring to our region.”

City of Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup and 92.9-FM The Mountain’s morning show hosts Jennie Grabel and Chris Patyk will be the masters of ceremonies. They will lead an apple juice toast and distribute free cupcakes to teachers toward the end of the evening.

“We want to make this event as family-friendly as possible,” added Jackson. “Teachers, families, friends and supporters should all feel invited and welcome at the block party.”

The “Toast for Teachers” event is part of Tucson Values Teachers’ campaign to make National Teacher Appreciation Week an uplifting, celebratory experience for all K-12 district, private and charter schoolteachers. Local businesses will also offer extreme discounts to local educators through TVT’s social media accounts and smaller discounts will be available to the general public.

“We’re keeping the discounts and businesses a surprise, but we highly encourage people to follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TucsonValuesTeachers) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/Tweet4Teachers) to take advantage of these ridiculous deals at Tucson’s best restaurants and stores,” said Jackson.

For more information about the “Toast for Teachers” event and to print out a free teacher parking pass at the Pennington Street Garage for a limited time, visit http://www.tucsonvaluesteachers.org.


ABOUT TUCSON VALUES TEACHERS
Tucson Values Teachers is a regional initiative determined to prove that the Southern Arizona community should not just talk about the importance of improving education, but must unify in action to retain, recruit and reward K-12 teachers. The organization recognizes the critical role of teachers in the region and value the vital influence they have on Tucson's future. For more information, visit http://www.tucsonvaluesteachers.org or call (520) 327-7619.