General News
Roberson elected union’s VP of CTE high schools
Oct 1, 2009 11:09 AM
Longtime teacher and union activist Sterling Roberson was elected by the UFT Executive Board on Sept. 21 as vice president for Career and Technical Education high schools, replacing Michael Mulgrew, who was elected union president in July.
Roberson, who most recently served as director of the UFT’s School Safety and Health Department, was a member of the first graduating class of the Substitute Vocational Assistant Program, a vocational teacher recruitment program run jointly by the UFT and the Department of Education. Still referred to as the SVA Program, the initials now stand for Success Via Apprenticeship.
He said the best part of being safety director “was our ability to make an impact to ensure we have safe, secure schools and giving parents the reassurance that their child can get a quality education free of disruption.”
At a press conference in June, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein praised the UFT for being part of the solution in reducing crime in the schools. Roberson said that is part of the ongoing collaboration with the NYPD School Safety Division and the DOE Office of School and Youth Development.
Roberson was born and raised in the Bronx and attended public schools. He has a 26-year career as an educator.
He was an electronics teacher at Samuel Gompers HS, which is a CTE school. His principal at Gompers, Mary Ann Hawthorne, said she witnessed Roberson go from being “a good teacher to an excellent teacher” and said he helped her transform the school from a good school to an excellent one.
“As a graduate of Gompers,” Hawthorne added, “Sterling sat where his students sat and he was able to give transitional information to them.”
Roberson received praise from another teacher, who is now the superintendent of Bronx high schools. Elena Papaliberios taught at Gompers while Roberson was a student there.
Roberson was part of the school leadership team, she said, “and his leadership skills were evident even then.” When she later became an assistant principal, she said students would tell her how Roberson motivated them.
“He was a great role model,” she said. “His wonderful commitment to the students of our city made him return to Gompers as a teacher.”
One of Roberson’s many goals as vice president is to use innovative methods to prepare high school students for postsecondary education and the work force.
When not toiling for the union, Roberson enjoys basketball and golf. He cherishes family time and enjoys motivational speaking.
Roberson credits his public school teachers, his colleagues and his mentors for his success.
