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Our People
Corps Members, Alumni, and Supporters
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Jordan SauerHouston Corps 2009“Being a corps member is definitely the most worthwhile thing I have ever done.”
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Nicole OakmanHouston Corps 2009“I have discovered that there are many definitions of diversity.”
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Mike FeinbergHouston Corps 1992“Teach For America gave me a team and an outlet for wanting to help build a better tomorrow.”
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Ann BestHouston Corps 1996“Get involved in your district’s efforts for change. Be part of the conversation.”
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Monica Piquet-RodriguezHouston Corps 2001“I would describe Houston as dynamic, hot, and fast-paced.”
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Gregory LittleHouston Corps 2010“I remembered the effect that great teachers had on me and wanted to be a role model.”
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Colleen DippelHouston Corps 1996“I have learned that results matter, which has proved invaluable in my career.”
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David SpencerHouston Corps 2008“Teach For America opened my eyes to the passion I have for seeing the lives of children transformed.”
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Lauren LesterHouston Corps 2009“All children deserve to have teachers who give 100% every day.”
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Morgan WilliamsHouston Corps 2010“My fellow corps members continually inspire me to increase my effectiveness as an educator.”
Message from the Executive Director
Terry Bruner
After 20 years in the city, our corps members and alumni have made an indelible impact on Houston and continue to lead breakthrough initiatives. The Houston Independent School District’s (HISD) school improvement officer Jeremy Beard (Los Angeles Corps ’92) created the Apollo 20 program to turnaround 20 of the most underperforming schools. At the same time the HISD chief talent officer, Ann Best (Houston Corps ’96) is working on changing the recruitment, professional development, and compensation of teachers to ensure Houston brings in and keeps the best talent to serve our students.
Alumni-led charter school systems are providing transformational change for their students. By 2014, YES Prep will send roughly the same number of low-income students to college as all of HISD’s other 34 high schools. According to a recent Mathematica study, 85% of KIPP middle school students matriculate to college compared to only 40% of low-income students nationwide.
And yet, there’s still much to be done. One of the biggest challenges is the huge increase in school-age immigrant population. Many of the new students have limited education and knowledge of English. This growth, combined with tough budget cuts, puts enormous pressure on the district.
The challenges we face only fuel our commitment further. We’re bringing in our largest, most diverse corps to work alongside our dedicated alumni to do whatever it takes to lead our students to success.
Prior to joining staff, Bruner taught at the Texas Southern University Laboratory School, where he was also the language arts chair and the summer school principal. He has diverse leadership experience, including serving active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom, practicing law at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, conducting lobbying work on Capitol Hill, and lecturing at several colleges. A 2002 Houston corps member, Bruner taught at Clemente Martinez Elementary School and TSU Laboratory School. Bruner graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Howard University, holds an MA in international relations from the University of Cambridge, and earned a JD from Southern Methodist University.
20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Hilton Americas
1600 Lamar
Houston, TX 77010
CONTACT US
Teach For America • Houston
4669 Southwest Freeway
Suite 600
Houston, TX 77027
p 713-523-4100
f 713-523-5454
Terry Bruner, Executive Director
VIDEO
Learn how Teach For America's presence in Houston is starting to drive better results for students around the region.
REGIONAL NEWS
Stay informed about the latest news on Teach For America • Houston and the state of education reform in the region.












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Teach For America was named one of America's top 100 Ideal Employers in Universum's 2011 American Student Survey.