Since Teach For America arrived in the Las Vegas Valley in 2004, our community has ridden an economic roller coaster. Now in a prolonged recession, community leaders have developed a consensus that the greatest opportunity to improve the quality of life for all Las Vegans is through improving our education system. 

Last fall, Colorado commissioner of education, Dwight Jones, was appointed the next superintendent of the Clark County school district.  In his short time in the region, Superintendent Jones has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to improving the education system through partnerships. He has taken bold steps to include Teach For America in his vision to ensure that all students in our school district are “ready by exit.” On top of the growing district support, we have been fortunate to develop strong partnerships with the Dream Fund at UCLA, the Windsong Trust, University of Nevada Las Vegas, members of the Nevada Women’s Philanthropy and other community leaders in our effort to improve educational outcomes for Las Vegas area kids. 

I’m so proud that Teach For America • Las Vegas Valley corps members have, in recent years, led their students to academic gains that outpace local averages. Recent Clark County school district New Teacher of the Year recipients include Angela Foucher (LVV ’10), Jem Heinzel-Nelson (LVV ’09), Rebecca Alleman (LVV ’08), and Donald Backner (LVV ’07) and show that our teachers are consistently recognized as the most committed and highly effective starting teachers in the district. But I also know that our impact can increase only if we grow to scale in the region, both in the corps and crucially, in our base of local alumni leaders.