Our principals will line up to
get a Teach For America teacher. They know from experience that Teach For America teachers are consistently good
instructional personnel. Teach For America participants are very student focused and are highly committed to student
success. Like all new teachers, they sometimes find the classroom a real challenge, but instead of succumbing, they rise to
the opportunity, work through their problems, and come to a solution that will benefit the student, the teacher and the
school.
- Dr. Carl Harris, incoming Superintendent of Durham Public Schools
This year, a corps of more than 140 of the nation’s most promising future leaders are teaching in our region’s lowest-income classrooms as a part of Teach For America • Eastern North Carolina. They are working to ensure their students have the educational opportunities they deserve. Our alumni are a leadership force, working from within education and every professional sector to effect broader change. Together they are helping us make educational equity a reality in Eastern North Carolina. Learn about living and teaching in Eastern North Carolina.
 |
Press | |
Corps Impact | |
Alumni Impact | |
Financial Sustainability | |
Regional Supporters | |
Contact Us | |
Executive Director |
Recent press releases
Recent press coverage
During the 2007-08 school year, over 140 corps members are directly impacting the lives of more than 12,000 students in Eastern North Carolina. Daniel Sellers is one example of the tremendous difference our corps members are making.
|
Daniel Sellers (Eastern North Carolina Corps '06) |
Daniel Sellers began his first year teaching sixth grade math at a school where, one year previously, only 40 percent of sixth graders had passed the state standardized test for math. That same year, the statewide average on the test was 62 percent. Daniel implemented quizzes to customize instruction, and provided intensive help for struggling students while moving higher-performing students ahead through enrichment projects. To keep students engaged, he created Multiplication Mondays and Word Problem Wednesdays, and instituted a “Student of the Week” award. Their hard work was evident when results of the state end-of-year exam demonstrated that 72 percent of Daniel’s students had passed the standardized test, a 32 point gain over the school’s previous average. Daniel is making educational equity a reality in Eastern North Carolina.
Eastern North Carolina: Our Impact on Students and Schools Today
| School Year | Corps Members | Students Reached |
|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | 96 | 8,160 |
| 2006-07 | 132 | 11,220 |
| 2009-10 | 171* | 14,535* |
*projected |
Principal Satisfaction
*"Teach For America 2007 National Principal Survey," Policy Studies Associates, July 2007.
Impact on Student Achievement
According to a highly regarded study by Mathematica Policy Research, corps members outpaced fully certified and veteran teachers in their schools in moving their students ahead academically. Read national results.
Student Profile
Eastern North Carolina: Corps Member Placement
| Assignment | # of Corps Members | % of Corps |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 29 | 20% |
| Science | 27 | 19% |
| Special Education | 11 | 8% |
| Social Studies | 14 | 10% |
| English | 25 | 18% |
| Elementary | 29 | 20% |
| Fine Arts | 3 | 2% |
| Spanish | 4 | 3% |
| Total | 142 | 100% |
*Percentages are rounded and may not add up to 100 percent.
Characteristics of the 2007 Corps
| Corps Profile | Top alma maters by market share* |
|---|---|
| Average GPA: 3.6 | Duke University, Spelman College, University of Chicago: 10% |
| Average SAT: 1321 | Wake Forest University, Princeton University: 8% |
| Held leadership roles on campus: 95% | Davidson College, Yale University: 7% |
| People of color: 28% | Teach For America was the largest employer of graduating seniors at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University last year. |
*Percentage of senior classes who applied to Teach For America
Fostering Alumni Leadership for Systemic Change
As the number of corps members grows, so does our alumni base. By 2010, we will have over 800 Teach For America • Eastern North Carolina alumni pursuing professional careers and impacting educational reform from every sector.
Keith Burnum (Eastern North Carolina Corps '02) |
Caroline Burnette (Eastern North Carolina Corps '99) Major: Philosophy |
Caroline Burnette and Keith Burnum are two of the many alumni who continue to work toward our vision in North Carolina. Caroline attended law school after teaching in Henderson, NC and returned there to serve as a legal advocate for children who are removed from their homes by social services. She now works as the attorney for the Vance County Department of Social Services. Keith is the founder and school leader of KIPP: Charlotte, a college preparatory public school, which opened in the fall of 2007. The school is part of the KIPP: Knowledge Is Power Program network founded by Teach For America alumni Dave Levin and Mike Feinberg.
Growing Our Impact: Funding Needs, 2007-2011
Each additional recruit is another dedicated teacher for children growing up in low-income communities in Eastern North Carolina, and another talented leader with the insight and
commitment necessary to sustain the reform efforts underway, which is critical to the ongoing vitality of our region.
| Year | Corps Size | Revenue Needs |
|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 142 | $1.3 million |
| 2008-09 | 146* | $1.5 million* |
| 2009-10 | 171* | $1.7 million* |
| 2010-11 | 225* | $2.2 million* |
*projected |
||
We are grateful to have many supporters who generously contribute to our movement in Eastern North Carolina. The foundations, corporations and individuals listed below have made it possible for Teach For America to continue to recruit, select, train, and support teachers who are working to eliminate educational inequity in our city.
| Advisory Board |
|---|
| John McArthur (Chairman) Senior Vice President Progress Energy |
| Dr. Ann Bullock Associate Professor of Education East Carolina University |
| Ron Day Chief Operating Officer RBC Centura |
| Barker French Chair Durham Roundtable |
| Dr. Carl Harris Superintendent Durham Public Schools |
| Mort Hight Vice President and Investment Strategist Wachovia |
| Arthur Rogers Independent Real Estate Investor |
| Dr. Ray Spain Superintendent Warren County Schools |
| Malcolm Turner Senior Vice President OnSport |
| Corporate, Foundation and Public Support Show more + |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
We thank the following lead corporate supporters for their extraordinary support of our work:
|
$200,000 - $499,999 |
||
| Public Schools of North Carolina | |||
$100,000 - $199,999 |
| Golden LEAF Foundation |
To support Teach For America • Eastern North Carolina with a gift or to request additional information about our impact or finances, please contact:
Teach For America • Eastern North Carolina
Alex Quigley, Executive Director
Katherine Porter, Development Manager
324 Blackwell Street
Bay 11, Suite 1160
Durham, NC 27701
P 919-597-7200, f 919-597-7272
alex.quigley@teachforamerica.org
katherine.porter@teachforamerica.org
back to top
Alex joined Teach For America as a 1999 corps member in the Mississippi Delta, where he taught elementary school for four years. While teaching in the Delta, he was awarded a fellowship to travel to Japan as part of the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. In 2003, Alex joined the staff of Teach For America as a Program Director, where he led 40 percent of his corps members to significantly increase their students’ achievement during his two years. Alex became the Executive Director of Teach For America • Eastern North Carolina in June of 2005. In the past two years, the region has doubled its funding, established a customized training partnership with East Carolina University, and expanded to two new school districts. Originally from the Boston area, Alex graduated from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He holds a Masters in Education and a Specialist in School Leadership from the University of Mississippi. He currently resides in Durham with his wife Ashley, a North Carolina native, graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, and 1999 Teach For America alumna, and their sons Aidan and Harper.
History
Regions
Corps and Alumni
