MISSION, Texas, JUNE 27, 2022—The Wells Fargo Foundation awarded a $15,000 grant to Teach For America Rio Grande Valley to support the organization’s efforts to make it financially viable for excellent candidates to become new teachers. 

Currently, a new cohort of 25 Teach For America educators--known as corps members--is in the middle of their pre-service training. This August, they will join 30 additional corps members and 200 alumni of the program teaching in Valley schools, collectively impacting thousands of students. 

There are many upfront financial barriers to becoming a new teacher, including certification exams, living costs during training, and relocation costs for some. With approximately two-thirds of new Teach For America Rio Grande Valley teachers identifying as coming from a low-income background, those costs can be prohibitive. Teach For America provides direct financial assistance to all new teachers and additional funds for those with greater financial need, funding that this grant will support. Upon successful completion of training and certification requirements, new corps members are hired as teachers in local partner school districts.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming these outstanding leaders to the Rio Grande Valley, and deeply grateful for the support from Wells Fargo,” said Ana Gonzalez, Executive Director of Teach For America Rio Grande Valley. “We want to ensure that passionate, talented young people can choose to become a teacher at this critical time. This grant enables us to provide financial assistance to our new corps members as they participate in our intensive pre-service training, opening the door for more educators to join us in the field.”

This summer’s programming is a key component of TFA’s multi-part, nationwide intensive pre-service experience, which began in May and will extend through teachers’ first 90 days in the classroom. Training focuses on instruction, learning environments, diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, and leadership development. Corps members also lead classrooms under the supervision of experienced mentors in Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. 

Teach For America teachers are trained to center the well-being of students and create in-person classroom environments that enable students to thrive both academically and emotionally. Additionally, teachers are focused on building and supporting the social and emotional development of students experiencing different traumas. 

About Teach For America Rio Grande Valley

Founded in 1991, Teach For America Rio Grande Valley (TFA-RGV) works in partnership communities across the Rio Grande Valley to expand educational opportunity for children. TFA-RGV recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding leaders who make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. Today, Teach For America Rio Grande Valley is a force of over 250 alumni and corps members working throughout the region in pursuit of profound systemic change. From classrooms to school districts to the social and private sector, they are reimagining education to realize the day when every child in the Valley 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/riograndevalley and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Teach For America Contact 

Rachel Tennenbaum

408.250.2877

rachel.tennenbaum@teachforamerica.org

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