NEW ORLEANS — Helen Cottongim, a school bus driver from Kentucky, was honored here on July 4 at the National Education Association’s (NEA) Representative Assembly, where she was named the NEA’s 2010 Education Support Professional of the Year.

“Public education and the future of America’s children are counting on all of us — you and me — pulling together to provide our students the best education possible,” Cottongim said to the crowd of 9,000 educators. “We now must turn our hopes into action!”

Cottongim has been a school bus driver for 36 years. She is the second school employee from Kentucky to be named NEA’s Education Support Professional of the Year. As part of her award, Cottongim received a $10,000 grant, half of which she donated to the American Kidney Foundation.

“Education support professionals are the glue who hold our public schools together,” said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. “Without them, education in America’s public schools would come to a screeching halt. The school doors would be closed and a student’s options in life would be drastically limited. Helen Cottongim is a shining example of the ESPs [education support professionals] who work tirelessly to make great public schools for every student.”

America’s nearly 3 million ESPs comprise 43 percent of the public school workforce, according to NEA. In addition to school bus drivers, they comprise instructional aides, food service workers and custodians.

The Representative Assembly is the top decision-making body for the 3.2 million-member NEA. Delegates set the association’s policies and address issues facing schools, students and the teaching profession.