BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, November 18, 2024 — As we approach Giving Tuesday (December 3, 2024) and the broader giving season, education nonprofit Teach For America (TFA) Greater Baton Rouge proudly recognizes Entergy Louisiana for its unwavering commitment to advancing educational equity and strengthening the teacher pipeline in our community. Entergy, a valued partner of TFA since 1995, continues to champion educational excellence with its annual gift of $25,000, directly impacting students and schools across both urban and rural areas of Greater Baton Rouge.

For nearly three decades, Entergy’s support has empowered Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge to recruit, develop, and train teachers to address the challenges our classrooms and schools face. This sustained partnership is critical to ensuring students from underserved communities can access an excellent education.

"Entergy's long-term commitment to our mission has been essential in enabling us to strengthen the pipeline of talented, equity-driven educators who are transforming classrooms and communities across Baton Rouge," said Laura Vinsant, Executive Director for Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge. "Through their generous support, we’re moving the needle on student academic success by placing passionate teachers and high-dosage tutors where they are needed most. Their investment has a ripple effect, not only in classrooms but across the entire community."

Entergy's funding comes at a critical time as students in Louisiana continue to face challenges in literacy. While third-grade reading LEAP scores have improved statewide over the past two years, only 40% of third graders in the Greater Baton Rouge region scored proficient on the English portion of the 2023 LEAP Assessment. Teach For America remains committed to addressing this gap, with the goal that by 2030, twice as many children in East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Pointe Coupee and Donaldsonville will reach proficiency in third-grade reading—setting them on a path toward economic mobility and a brighter future. Entergy’s support enables TFA to recruit, develop, and train teachers and high-dosage tutors who can help drive academic success for students in urban and rural schools across the Greater Baton Rouge area.

“We believe that a strong education system is the foundation of a thriving community and key to driving economic mobility,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. “By supporting Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge, we’re investing in our local schools, teachers, and students, helping to build a pipeline of talented individuals who will strengthen the local workforce and contribute to the long-term growth of our economy. For nearly 30 years, we’ve been proud to stand with TFA in their mission to provide all children with the opportunity to succeed and achieve their full potential.”

This year, Entergy’s contribution will help power the recruitment of new corps members, support the development of current educators, and fuel innovative programs such as the Ignite Fellowship.

The Ignite Fellowship:

Entergy fuels the future by supporting literacy and building pathways to the teaching profession.

Through Entergy’s ongoing support, TFA Greater Baton Rouge was able to scale its Ignite Fellowship, a high-dosage tutoring program connecting college students with Greater Baton Rouge students in need of targeted academic support. This academic year, 212 Ignite tutors across seven schools in three parishes will support over 450 students in Greater Baton Rouge. Through Ignite, students are making significant gains in reading, building the confidence necessary for long-term success. At the same time, the program serves as a pipeline for future corps members, introducing rising leaders to the opportunity to serve full-time in the classroom.

Empowering Educators:

Entergy’s support fuels teacher success and drives student achievement.

Entergy's funding plays a crucial role in supporting the professional development of Teach For America teachers, equipping them with the skills and resources needed to excel in the classroom. Now in his 7th year of teaching, Steven Dillard serves as an example of how, with community support, teachers can access the resources they need to thrive. As an Elementary English Language Arts Educator and Teacher Leader at Prescott Academy, Steven’s students have moved from 20% reading on or above grade level to 88% by the end of the year. Champions like Entergy make it possible for Steven and other teachers to receive ongoing training, resources, and support throughout their professional careers—support that is critical as we work to retain and uplift our veteran teachers here in Greater Baton Rouge.

As Giving Tuesday approaches, Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge invites others in the community to join in supporting the movement to make quality education accessible to all. Together, with the dedication of partners like Entergy, we can continue making a profound difference in the lives of students.

For more information on how to support our work or to learn more about the impact of partners like Entergy, please visit Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge.

About Teach For America

Teach For America works in partnership with communities across the country to expand educational opportunities for children. Founded in 1990, Teach For America finds, develops, and supports excellent and diverse leaders to transform education and expand opportunity for all children. Today, Teach For America is a force of 70,000 alumni, corps members, and Ignite fellows working in pursuit of profound systemic change so that one day every child has an equal opportunity to learn, lead, thrive, and co-create a future filled with possibility. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook and X.

About Entergy Louisiana

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers in 58 parishes and natural gas service to more than 94,000 customers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Entergy Louisiana is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), a Fortune 500 company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees.

Contact

Reshma Melwani
(949) 294-9459
reshma.melwani@teachforamerica.org
Teach For America

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