NYSUT celebrates James Chaney, named one of five finalists for the national Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award for 2025. Chaney is a teaching assistant and member of the Albany Public School United Employees. He is also a NYSUT 2024 School-Related Professionals Member of the Year award winner.
“Every day, James Chaney is out here motivating students and changing lives. His dedication to this profession is an inspiration, and we’re all proud to call him our colleague,” said Ron Gross, Second Vice President of NYSUT and Director of Program Services.
At just 1 year old, Chaney was in a car accident that permanently damaged his spinal cord. The accident confined him to a wheelchair but expanded his life’s purpose.
“I learned that there was a mental, emotional, and spiritual concept that I could share with other people,” Chaney said. “They see the wheelchair and they’re trying to digest that opportunity of understanding, but as an SRP, I want them to see the educator in me first.”
The only award of its kind, the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award was created March 2019 to recognize and promote the commitment and excellence exhibited by full- or part-time classified school employees who provide exemplary service to students in prekindergarten through high school.
Chaney and Mashantuck Bell, United Federation of Teachers, were nominated by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office to represent New York state for this prestigious national award.