National Event to Raise Awareness of Educational Inequity Brings the Spurs Coyote, Former Mayor Phil Hardberger, Other Leaders into Local Schools as Guest Teachers and Visitors
For Immediate Release
Contact: Cynthia Cho | Teach For America
424.220.0604 | cynthia.cho@teachforamerica.org
SAN ANTONIO, TX, Tuesday, February 1, 2011—Leaders from across the city will take part in Teach For America Week, held Sunday, January 31 – Friday, February 4. In addition to lessons taught at Rodriguez Elementary by the Coyote, Mayor Hardberger, and Teach For America alumnus Steve Lecholop, Associate at Cox Smith, Teach For America Week will include a number of classroom visits by community leaders. Confirmed participants include Jim Greenwood, vice president of governmental affairs at Valero; Councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros; William Balthrope, CEO of Muzak; William Levine, general counsel of The Gambrinus Company; Annie Vu, community relations specialist at Rackspace; Elizabeth Lorenz, research associate at HEB; Richard Perez, president and CEO of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce; Sam Dawson, chairman of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce; and Barbara Gentry, president of The USAA Foundation.
Teach For America Week draws community leaders nationwide to support educational excellence for all children. These volunteers will visit the classrooms of Teach For America teachers, also known as corps members, and inspire students with their leadership in business, politics, and beyond. An annual event since 1997, this will be the inaugural Teach For America Week in San Antonio as the 2010-11 school year is the organization’s first in the city. The Coyote was on hand to kick off Teach For America Week on Sunday at a community project at Haven for Hope where Teach For America corps members will found a children’s literacy program this summer. Classroom visits will continue throughout the week.
“We’re excited about the broad range of leaders participating in Teach For America Week this year,” said Laura Saldivar, executive director of Teach For America in San Antonio. “I know our guests’ passion for learning will leave a lasting impression on students and help to focus attention on the importance of providing all children with the educational opportunities they deserve.”
Teach For America is the national corps of top recent college graduates who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to expand educational opportunity. Teach For America’s network includes 8,200 corps members teaching in 39 regions and a national force of 20,000 alumni at the forefront of efforts to end educational inequity.
This year in San Antonio, 97 Teach For America corps members are reaching more than 6,000 students in underserved public schools while 25 alumni are working from every sector to level the playing field for students and families in low-income communities.
The Coyote, Mayor Hardberger, and Teach For America alumnus Steve Lecholop will read to the students at Rodriguez Elementary School on Thursday, February 3. Corps members Eddy Hernandez, Robin Pulliam and Andrew Serrano – graduates of Boston College, Southwestern University, and Texas Tech respectively - are first year teachers at Rodriguez this year.
“The Coyote is thrilled to get back into the classroom to share the important job of teaching with Mayor Hardberger,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “He shares the Spurs’ excitement that Teach For America has joined the San Antonio community in the effort to give every kid in San Antonio an excellent education. We are proud to support their efforts.”
A growing body of rigorous research demonstrates the effectiveness of Teach For America corps members as classroom teachers. A 2008 Urban Institute study updated in 2009 found that corps members have a positive effect on student achievement relative to other teachers, including experienced teachers, traditionally prepared teachers, and those fully certified in their field. An earlier study by Mathematica Policy Research Inc. found that students of corps members make more progress in a year in both reading and math that would typically be expected, and attain significantly greater gains in math compared with students of other teachers, including veteran and certified teachers.
Schedule for confirmed guest teachers:
The Spurs Coyote and Mayor Phil Hardberger
Rodriguez Elementary School, Thursday, February 3, 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Steve Lecholop, Associate, Cox Smith
Rodriguez Elementary School, Thursday, February 3, 10:00 am – 11:00 am
About Teach For America and Teach For America Week
Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunity. Teach For America Week is the annual, nationwide event in which guest teachers engage students from some of our nation’s lowest-income communities and inspire them to pursue academic success. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org.
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