Graduating senior Hailie Hogan-Wilson has been chosen to the Teach For America 2016 teaching corps, program officials announced.
Teach For America is a national nonprofit working to expand educational opportunity for low-income students. Corps members commit to teach for two years in high-need urban or rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in pursuit of educational equity.
Wilson will begin teaching art in Mississippi in June. “For myself, I am looking forward to gaining some professional experience that is emotionally and morally satisfying,” said Wilson. “When I graduated, I wanted to do something that mattered, and I believe with TFA I have that opportunity.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, by the time they reach fourth grade, students eligible for free and reduced lunch are almost two years behind in reading and a year and a half behind in math, when compared to their higher income peers. Working in partnership with parents and principals, and alongside educators of all backgrounds, Wilson joins a diverse group of individuals dedicated to addressing these gaps.
“Our corps members and alumni have made a meaningful impact with their students and communities over time,” said Elisa Villanueva Beard, co-CEO of Teach For America. “I can’t wait to see the leadership, passion, dedication, and innovation this year’s corps will bring to their classrooms nationwide.”
Wilson said she hopes to gain an understanding of the educational system in America and learn “what I as an individual can do to help every child that walks into my classroom understand that they are worth getting an education. A family friend and a current TFA corps member suggested Teach for America. When I began to look into it, it simply felt like the right fit to help make a needed change to the public school systems of America, which I truly believe is our nation’s most important critical issue. ”
A growing body of research demonstrates the effectiveness of Teach For America corps members. Recent studies by Mathematica Policy Research, the University of North Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee found that corps members have a positive impact on student achievement.
About Teach For America
Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding college graduates and professionals to make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to end educational inequity. Its corps in the 2013-14 school year included 11,000 teachers in 48 urban and rural regions across the country. Today, its 37,000 alumni are working across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org. Follow Teach for America on Facebook and Twitter.