The dynamic young college graduates who make up the Teach For America • Denver corps have promised to do whatever it takes so that every child in our city gets an excellent education. They bring vitality, passion, and high expectations into our classrooms to help all of our children succeed. The insight and conviction these corps members will gain from teaching will help change the national educational landscape now and in the future. I’m so glad these talented leaders will now call Denver their home and work to build a brighter future for our children - and our city’s future - each day.
- Linda Childears, President and CEO, Daniels Fund
This year, a corps of 56 of the nation’s most promising future leaders are teaching in our city’s lowest-income classrooms as a part of Teach For America • Denver. 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 Denver. Learn about living and teaching in Denver. Learn about living and teaching in Denver.
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Executive Director |
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During the 2007-08 school year, 56 corps members are directly impacting the lives of nearly 5000 students in Denver. Erin Lefkowits is one example of the tremendous difference our corps members are making.
Erin Lefkowits (Denver Corps '07) |
Erin began teaching fourth and fifth grade bilingual math classes at Columbine Elementary School this fall. She joined Teach For America to fulfill her dream of being a teacher and because she saw that Teach For America not only recognized the presence of the achievement gap, but had created a plan for solving the problem. After her two-year commitment, Erin plans to continue teaching elementary school and then to pursue a master’s degree in education as her next step toward becoming a principal. Having attended Denver Public Schools and the University of Colorado at Boulder, Erin has developed a lifelong connection to the district, and plans to create the best possible education for Denver children - starting today.
Denver: Our Impact on Students and Schools Today
| School Year | Corps Members | Students Reached |
|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | 56 | 4,260 |
| 2008-09 | 110* | 9,350* |
| 2009-10 | 135* | 11,475* |
*projected |
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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
Denver: Corps Member Placement
| Assignment | # of Corps Members | % of Corps |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 7 | 12.5% |
| Science | 10 | 17.9% |
| Special Education | 5 | 8.9% |
| English | 13 | 23.2% |
| Elementary | 21 | 37.5% |
| Total | 56 | 100% |
*Percentages are rounded and may not add up to 100 percent.
Characteristics of the 2007 Corps
| Corps Profile | Top alma maters by marketshare* |
|---|---|
| Average GPA: 3.6 | Duke University, University of Chicago: 10% |
| Average SAT: 1321 | University of Notre Dame, Willamette University: 9% |
| Held leadership roles on campus: 95% | Princeton University, Yale University: 7% |
| People of color: 28% | Colorado College, Brown University: 5% |
*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 225 Teach For America • Denver alumni pursuing professional careers and impacting educational reform from every sector.
Michael Johnston (Mississippi Delta Corps '97) |
Colorado native Michael Johnston taught high school English in the rural Mississippi Delta. His experiences with his students there inspired him to write In the Deep Heart’s Core, which has been described by Robert Coles as “a compelling and important moral witness to education efforts today.” Continuing his career goal of educational reform, Michael earned a master’s degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, cofounded the educational nonprofit New Leaders for New Schools, and received a law degree from Yale University. Michael is now applying his skills and knowledge locally as the principal of Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts, where he is also contributing to the revolutionary changes occurring in the Mapleton School District.
Growing Our Impact: Funding Needs, 2007-2010
Each additional recruit is another dedicated teacher for children growing up in low-income communities in Denver, 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 | 56 | $1.5 million* |
| 2008-09 | 110* | $2.1 million* |
| 2009-10 | 135* | $2.6 million* |
*projected |
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We are grateful to have many supporters who generously contribute to our movement in Denver. 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.
| Corporation, Foundation and Public Support Show more + |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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We thank the following lead corporate supporters for their extraordinary support of our work:
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$200,000 - $499,999 |
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| Daniels Fund | ||||
$100,000 - $199,999 |
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| JFM Foundation | ||||
To support Teach For America • Denver with a gift or to request additional information about our impact or finances, please contact:
Teach For America • Denver
Sean VanBerschot, Executive Director
Kirsten Duell Russell, Office Manager
1391 Speer Boulevard
Suite 220
Denver, CO 80204
p 303-893-4483, f 303-893-0414
sean.vanberschot@teachforamerica.org
kirsten.duell@teachforamerica.org
Sean VanBerschot joined Teach For America’s staff in 2004 as executive director in New Mexico. During his three years there, he increased the regional funding base by 200 percent, increased the corps size by 31 percent, and led the corps to reach its benchmarks for student achievement. VanBerschot was a member of the charter Teach For America corps in New Mexico, teaching third and fifth grades in Smith Lake. After completing his corps commitment, he taught sixth grade social studies in Rio Rancho, where he not only led his students to achieve dramatic academic gains, but also was the school’s basketball coach and newsletter editor, served on the superintendent advisory committee, and was active as a community organizer. Prior to joining the corps, VanBerschot received his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Illinois. He went on to earn a master of arts in teaching from Western New Mexico University.
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