Teach For America – Metro Atlanta corps member Danielle LeePow recently won an honor in this year’s Innovation in Teaching Competition, given by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. According to a press release, the award is a recognition of teachers who utilize innovative instructional strategies to advance student achievement.

The press release states: “This year’s competition rewarded teachers in the following priority areas: applied learning with a focus on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education, language and literacy skills, blended learning and innovative practices to close the achievement gap. Funding for the program is provided by Georgia’s Innovation Fund, a competitive grant program. 

“Effective, engaging teachers are our most vital asset in providing every Georgia student with a world-class education,” said Deal. “That’s why we should celebrate and reward our most outstanding teachers who bring innovation to the classroom, more efficiently and effectively preparing their students for the workforce or higher education. As we continue building upon success in our classrooms, our communities grow stronger as a result."

Each teacher will receive a $3,000 stipend and a $4,000 school grant to support and strengthen innovative instructional strategies. In addition, Georgia Public Broadcasting will film each of the winning educators teaching a unit and conduct an interview about their preparation for the unit. The videos, along with the educators’ unit plan and supplementary materials, will be made available to other educators, parents, institutions of higher education and educational stakeholders. The videos, unit plans and supplementary materials from previous rounds of the competition are currently available on Georgiastandards.org.”

Founded in 2000, Teach For America–Metro Atlanta has more than 150 corps members and 1,200 alumni living and working in the region. Corps members, who include career-changers, military veterans, and recent college graduates, make an initial two-year commitment to teach in Atlanta’s highest-need classrooms, bringing a deep belief in their students’ abilities to achieve and overcome the challenges of poverty, racism, and systemic inequity in education.

After their corps years, Teach For America alumni maintain a lifetime commitment to ending educational inequity. The majority of Teach For America alumni in Atlanta continue to work in education full-time, and include more than 400 teachers, 127 of whom have been recognized as Teacher of the Year by their schools; over 30 principals and assistant principals; 4 members of the Atlanta Board of Education; and local school system leaders. Others are leading nonprofits, businesses, and working as community advocates.