The fact that you’re even reading this article is incredible.
The ability to comprehend any of this comes from years of learning vocabulary and grammar; even when it became dull and repetitious, the mind spends about two decades becoming stronger and more educated.
Consider this: There are currently 16.4 million children growing up in poverty. Among them, only 1 in 13 will graduate from college. People who graduate with a bachelor’s degree earn nearly twice as much as those who only complete high school, but with a national dropout rate of 25 percent, where does that leave the other 12 that did not graduate?
With this many Americans at risk of receiving inadequate education, one organization has decided to do something about it. Teach for America is a national corps dedicated to providing quality education to those that come from low-income families. It is made up of recent college graduates who are willing to dedicate two years in poverty-stricken communities to teach at public schools. Through intensive training and career development, these leaders learn how to close the achievement gap and increase their impact in this country.
Founded by Wendy Kopp in 1989, Teach for America placed about 500 teachers in its first year and the numbers kept growing. In 2010, 46,000 college graduates applied for the corps, and 4,500 of them became new members. Altogether, the organization has had over 20,000 members complete their commitment and more than half of them continue on to teach in public schools or schools founded by Teach for America alumni.
Among the recruitment staff is Orientation Boxer Ambassador and junior Tawni Murphy, who was named Teach for America Campus Campaign Coordinator for Pacific University. In an email to the faculty of Pacific University, she states that her goal is to “strive to build a movement and awareness. To address the issue of educational inequity. It is also [her] goal to develop a detailed strategic plan aimed at inspiring top students to apply for the 2013 Corps, as well as to motivate underclassmen to get involved.”
Underclassmen can get involved by volunteering or by being an intern for non-profit organizations that work in conjunction with Teach for America. Some opportunities include volunteering with “Kids and Chemistry,” a community-based program that works with scientists to provide hands-on experiments to children, and interning with Habitat for Humanity, a year-round program dedicated to bringing more affordable housing to various communities.
There are two upcoming deadlines to apply for Teach for America; Jan. 11 and Feb. 15, 2013. For more information, including how to apply and more opportunities for underclassmen, go to Teach for America’s official website, teachforamerica.org.
Through the efforts of Teach for America, you can provide children in poverty the resources they need to receive top notch education, and hopefully, earn the chance to attend and complete college.
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