The Summer Member Organizer (SMO) program brings educators together from across North Carolina to strengthen our union and support public schools. For participants, SMO is a chance to grow as leaders by talking with coworkers, listening to their concerns, and asking them to take action by joining NCAE. For potential members, these conversations are not just about sharing experiences. They are an invitation to make a commitment that builds collective power. The SMO experience goes beyond canvassing and conversations; it creates a shared identity rooted in NCAE’s values of respect, voice, and justice for all school employees.
Over six weeks, participants learn how to have structured organizing conversations, go out and invite public school workers into the union, and develop leadership skills that last beyond the summer. The program provides hands-on experience in organizing, coaching for SMOs, and mapping strategies to grow membership and union density across counties.
For many educators, joining NCAE and applying to be an SMO begins with a recognition that challenges in public schools are not going to solve themselves. Members face underfunded classrooms, heavy workloads, and policies that often leave them without a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their work. SMO offers a structured space to address these challenges collectively.
A typical SMO day combines statewide training calls, team launches, and door-to-door conversations. Members listen to coworkers about their concerns, and debrief as a team to reflect on their progress, learn, and celebrate. For lead organizers, responsibilities expand to coaching team members, facilitating statewide trainings, and maintaining data and schedules.
Through these shared experiences, patterns quickly emerge: low pay, lack of resources, and limited agency in decision-making are consistent concerns across districts. “It didn’t matter where we were. Everyone was talking about the same struggles,” said Kayla Wibalda, a teacher at Southern Lee High. “It reminded us that this isn’t just a problem in one district. It’s statewide, and it affects all of us in similar ways.”
Recognizing these shared challenges builds solidarity and urgency for collective action. As Adrain Moorer-Miller, an exceptional children’s instructional assistant in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, explained, “When members realized their issues weren’t isolated, it lit a fire under them. It made clear that organizing together is not optional. It’s urgent.”
The program also cultivates leadership that continues year-round. Kayla, now president of her local, reflected, “It’s not just about me. It’s about creating new leaders who can carry this work forward. Coaching other SMOs, meeting with leaders in different counties, and seeing the growth in our membership showed me that change is possible when we work together.”
Adrain highlighted moments that stick with her, recalling a conversation with a custodian:
Quote byAdrain Moorer-Miller , Educator
Kayla added, “Being a lead taught me how to organize, strategize, and support others. It wasn’t just about knocking doors—it was about understanding people’s concerns and helping them see that together we have power to make change.”
For member participants and the new members they recruit through the SMO program, NCAE's identity as a union where every voice matters, is strengthened.
Educators across North Carolina face ongoing challenges: underfunded schools, heavy workloads, and policies that limit their agency. SMO equips members to meet these challenges collectively, giving every school employee the tools, support, and confidence to advocate for themselves, their students, and their colleagues.
