LEWISTON, Idaho - Traci Birdsell, director of the Educational Talent Search program at LCSC, has received two awards for her work with Northwest Association of Educational Opportunity Programs (NAEOP). NAEOP is the professional organization for TRIO programs in Region X which has members from the states of Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, serving over 34,000 students in 130 TRIO projects. The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide educational services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The ultimate goal of TRIO programs is college access and graduation.
Birdsell, who is currently president of NAEOP, was recognized for her leadership in guiding NAEOP to meet two national goals: surpassing the 100% goal of Fair Share and having all states in NAEOP above the 100% goal. Fair Share is the sharing of budgetary responsibility needed for the Council for Opportunity in Education to operate based on the relative number of TRIO projects in an area. This is achieved through institutional memberships and personal donations
NAEOP’s mission is listed below:
• Representing the interests of TRIO programs in Region X of the Department of Education: Oregon, Washington, Alaska, & Idaho.
• Representing professional educators who work with low income, first generation, and disabled students throughout the Northwest.
• Promoting the development, improvement, and extension of education to non-traditional individuals.
• Providing training for professional personnel to enhance the quality of services delivered to non-traditional students.
As a regional president, Birdsell sits on the national board of directors for the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) which is an organization whose focus is TRIO advocacy. COE’s mission is to “achieve college access and success for low-income students, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.”
For more information, please contact Traci Birdsell at 208.792.2848 or [email protected].