The UFT organized social events in each borough this year where the union’s newest members made connections, learned more about the UFT and built community. New members took part in bowling, painting, a scavenger hunt and immersive team-building games across the city.

About 200 members, students and their guests attended the 19th annual Better Speech and Hearing Month Celebration on May 27 at UFT headquarters. The UFT Speech Improvement Chapter recognized speech teachers and their students for exceptional projects completed in speech therapy, showcasing the breadth and depth of therapies that speech teachers provide.

Whether you’re looking for a complete reset in your wellness routine or some simple tweaks, join us as we revisit our conversation with Dr. Pina LoGiudice, a naturopathic doctor and co-founder of Inner Source Health, in this episode of the Brewing Wellness podcast. Explore how everyday habits shape our physical health and overall energy. Dr. LoGiudice will be hosting two holistic health workshops for the UFT’s Member Assistance Program this summer — stay tuned for details!

More than 250 UFT retirees and guests packed Shanker Hall at union headquarters for the Retired Teachers Chapter’s annual luncheon on May 23. Speakers celebrated the tenacity of union activism over the last 65 years and honored RTC members for 50 years or more of service.

About 200 honorees and guests attended the inaugural Middle School Awards Night on May 15 at UFT headquarters in Manhattan. Twenty-five members were honored for being stars at meeting the needs of their students during a transformative stage of adolescent life, serving as educators, mentors, counselors, parents, advisers and even friends.

More than 1,600 UFT members filled the New York Hilton Midtown on May 17 for the UFT’s annual Spring Education Conference, a day of professional development, a mayoral candidates’ forum, vocal performances by Broadway musicians and a gala luncheon, all under the banner of this year’s theme, “We Teach This City.”

About 400 members of the UFT Family Child Care Providers Chapter and their guests filled Shanker Hall at union headquarters for the 12th annual awards ceremony on May 9. More than 50 members were honored for providing exemplary service to young children and their families.

At the Federation of Nurses/UFT’s annual Nurse Recognition Awards dinner on May 8, about 200 nurses and their guests gathered inside Shanker Hall at union headquarters to celebrate 19 hospital and homecare nurses for holding firm in contract negotiations this year and continuously advocating for better training and support for nurses as well as patient care often in work environments that sought to prioritize profit.

Members of the UFT School Nurses Chapter gathered for their chapter's annual School Nurses Appreciation Dinner at union headquarters on May 7, timed to coincide with National School Nurse Day. They had an opportunity to network and hear from UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

UFT members citywide participated in the union's May 6 Day of Action to turn the heat up on state lawmakers to fix Tier 6 of the pension system. Members in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan held simultaneous rallies; Bronx members passed out leaflets at three major transit hubs; and  Staten Island members held in-school actions. Their top demand:  Allow public school educators to retire with an unreduced pension at age 55 with 30 years of service.

Would you like to build greater emotional resilience and improve your communication under pressure? In this episode of the Brewing Wellness podcast, Lexi Mulee, a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) specialist and licensed mental health counselor, shares practical skills for managing tough emotions, setting boundaries and strengthening relationships, both in and out of the classroom. Join us for part two of this two-part series.

About 250 UFT members from the city’s academic high schools gathered on April 25 at Shanker Hall at UFT headquarters to honor outstanding educators and schools and to celebrate the 10 years since the UFT’s Team High School gave its first awards to academic high school educators.