2000
Year TFA Arrived
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Atlanta was one of the main staging grounds for the civil rights movement. Yet in the decades since, the city has not fulfilled the hope of equal opportunity for all.
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A diverse group of corps members and alumni are working to improve the lives of Atlanta’s kids and live up to the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King.
About Metro Atlanta
In addition to being the social, economic, and cultural hub of the southeast, Atlanta is a city with a prolific past that has borne witness to some of the most significant moments in American history. In the 1960s, Atlanta was a major organizing center of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and students from Atlanta's historically black colleges and universities playing major roles in the movement's leadership.
Today, we find Atlanta at another critical juncture in time when we must draw upon the strength of determined leaders to eliminate our region’s most pressing civil rights injustice: the disparity in education that is severely limiting the life opportunities for more than 400,000 students growing up in poverty in the region. Just one out of every five low-income students in Metro Atlanta will attend a high-quality pre-k program, compared to four out of five in more affluent nearby areas. Students from low-income communities are also twice as likely to attend a school that has not met adequate yearly progress, and just 31% will go on to college, as compared to 79% of their higher income peers.
In partnership with schools, districts, and community supporters, Teach For America is working to provide equal educational opportunities for all Metro Atlanta students, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. Our 450 corps members and 900 alumni are a source of talent and energy for our schools and city. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of these teachers and leaders, now, more than ever, Teach For America - Metro Atlanta is positioned to significantly impact the life trajectories of students in our region’s high-need communities.
Leadership
Executive Director
10 Peachtree Place 7th Floor
Atlanta, GA
30309
Tel 404-688-9843
Fax 404-688-9850
Shyam joined Teach For America’s staff in 2008 as development director in Chicago.
He moved to Atlanta in 2009 and led the growth strategy team to secure funding and placements to double the size of the Metro Atlanta corps. Shyam previously worked as a member of GE’s selective management leadership program, leading global projects in six countries while becoming a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Shyam is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, son of immigrant parents from South India, and graduate of Case Western Reserve University. He currently lives in East Atlanta with his wife, Gayathri.
Regional Stats
58
Corps Size The First Year
430
Corps Size This Year
900
Alumni in Region
30k
Students Being Reached
140+
Schools with Corps Members
