East Providence High School administrative assistant named NEARI ESP of the Year

The National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI) announced today that Christine Alves, an East Providence High School administrative assistant, was named the 2025 NEARI Education Support Professional of the Year. She was honored with the Gail Colburn Award at an annual dinner celebrating the contributions of ESPs across Rhode Island. 

Education Support Professionals (ESP) are the Pre-K to college support staff – from teacher assistants and paraprofessionals to custodians, secretaries, and office managers – who play a vital role in contributing to the success of a school, a classroom, and a student’s daily life. 

“Christine exemplifies the qualities of an ESP; she provides students support with empathy and accountability, acts as a bridge between school and families, and dedicates time and talent to the greater East Providence 'Townie' community. Christine is an engaged union leader who uses her voice to ensure her fellow ESP are well represented. She is incredibly deserving of this honor,” said NEARI President Val Lawson.

“As an administrative assistant working primarily within the Special Education Department and alongside social workers, Christine interacts with some of our most vulnerable students and their families. She is often the first face they see when they are in crisis and her friendly, welcoming demeanor immediately puts students at ease,” said East Providence Principal Bill Black who submitted a letter of recommendation on Alves’ behalf. 

“I am so appreciative of my colleagues and honored to receive this award and recognition,” said Alves. “I am grateful to my union for offering training in foundational leadership skills and providing me with the tools to advocate for students that we service and build community relations that will positively impact student success.” 

Among her many contributions, Alves assists families in accessing resources such as counseling, special education services, and extracurricular activities. She piloted a peer mentoring program called Townie 2 Townie that paired high schoolers with elementary school students. Alves kicks off the school year with a school supply drive and distributes them at the annual Neighborhood Day in August. For ten years, she has organized a sock drive in October, or as she likes to call it “Socktober.”  Alves facilitates the Townie Community Snack Initiative for the students who are food insecure or just need a pick me up throughout the school day. She also revitalized a district program she renamed “Dress a Townie” where prom dresses and formal attire are collected for students whose families may have financial difficulty. 

As a representative of Rhode Island, Alves will be submitted for the national NEA ESP of the Year honor to be awarded in the spring of 2025. 

“The respect our students have for Christine is a testament to the positive relationships she builds, which directly contributes to their social-emotional wellbeing and overall safety. She goes above and beyond to support her colleagues making our East Providence High School a better place to work and learn,” said Black. 

The National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI) is a union and professional organization with a proud history of serving Rhode Island since 1845. NEARI is 12,000 members strong, we are classroom teachers; education support professionals; higher education faculty, staff, and graduate assistants; municipal and state workers; and retirees. We are affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA) and RI AFL-CIO. Learn more at www.neari.org.

-30-