By
Blake Smith
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Teach For America schedules another info session for today
About 20 students interested in teaching disadvantaged children across the nation gathered last night to learn how they can make a difference through the non-profit organization Teach For America.
Kristin Bourguet, a recent UA graduate and Teach For America middle school teacher in Baton Rouge, La., said the organization is looking for students who want to make a two-year commitment and teach classes in one of 18 regions around the United States.
"If you're looking for a challenge and a position where you can expand your sense of realism, then Teach For America is something that I would definitely recommend for you," Bourguet said.
During the last 10 years, Teach For America has placed more than 5,000 college graduates from around the country in areas to teach children in low-income communities - like southern Louisiana and Washington, D.C. - that have difficulty attracting educators.
Stressing the need for improved education in disadvantaged areas, Lenay Dunn, who graduated from the University of Arizona in 1999 and now teaches in New Orleans, said that 9-year-old children in low-income areas tend to be three to four grade levels behind children in higher-income areas.
UA mathematics junior Livia Miller, who attended the information session last night, said she is unsure whether she wants to join the program or pursue a master's degree, but got some much-needed information at the discussion.
"I got a much better idea of what the experience is like," Miller said.
Bourguet said only one out of every four applicants is accepted into the program. If chosen, teachers either go to Houston or New York City for a five-week training period, where they attend seminars and teach summer school.
After that time, they move to their assigned school and teach for two years.
Teachers in the program are given standard teaching wages for the school district that they are assigned to, plus a $4,725 relief per year from student loans.
For students that are interested in the program, but are not seniors or graduate students, Teach For America offers summer internship opportunities to assist teachers with summer school.
"Continue thinking about what we're saying, and figure out how to make yourself the ideal candidate," Dunn told students who aren't graduating this year.
In recent years, the organization has targeted the UA, the University of Michigan and the University of Texas for participants.
Kate Ervin, a UA environmental science and agriculture education senior, said that Teach For America favors UA because "they always produce great applicants."
Teach For America is looking for students of all academic majors to join the program, with a particular emphasis on science and bilingual majors. No education course work is required.
In the first of three selection periods this year, four UA students were selected for the two-year experience.
