Teach For America–Jacksonville is this year celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The organization has recruited nearly 600 degreed and certified teachers to Duval County Public Schools since 2008. Nearly 200 TFA alumni in Jacksonville are working as teachers, principals, coaches, administrators and from the law, business and policy sectors.
“Over the last 10 years we’ve learned important lessons about what it will take to reach the day when every student — regardless of their zip code — can attain an excellent education,” says Darryl Willie, executive director of Teach For America–Jacksonville. “We’ve learned that ours is a community that shows up for kids. We’ve learned that every child can meet high academic expectations if given more access to rigorous courses, resources and enrichment opportunities.
“We’ve also learned that leadership is our most powerful lever in solving this problem — leaders who believe in the potential of every student, who prove it in their classrooms and who bring others into the movement to expand opportunities for children,” Willie added. “Building and harnessing that leadership is a role TFA-Jacksonville is proud to play in continued service of students, families and the Jacksonville community for years to come."
Teach For America works in partnership with urban and rural communities in more than 50 regions across the country to expand educational opportunity for children. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding leaders to make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to end educational inequity. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org.
