We're pretty excited at United Way today. For more than two years, we have worked to build partnerships, secure alternative teacher certification, as well as funding and placements needed to bring Teach for America back to Detroit. Today, that vision became reality as Teach for America announced its return to Detroit, bringing top college graduates to teach in some of the state’s highest-need schools for the 2010-2011 school year.

We know first-hand how dedicated and talented Teach for America alumni are - we have two of them working with us right now. I've asked one of them, Katy Byrd, to share her thoughts on TFA's return.

My Teach for America Experience
Kathryn Byrd, United Way for Southeastern Michigan Campaign Associate

Growing up, I always loved school. I was blessed to go to a great school and have great teachers that helped to open my mind and put me on a path toward success. In college I began to really realize how lucky I was and how many students across the country did not receive that same quality education that I did.

The desire to provide a quality education for all children led me to join Teach for America and to step into my 10th grade English classroom as a brand new teacher. I was excited to meet my students and to begin the work of closing the achievement gap for them. I was fired up and prepared to make sure that my students would succeed. My two years in the classroom were filled with struggles and mistakes but also with successes and joy. Even through the most difficult times I never lost sight of what I was working for and that drive and passion allowed me to be successful despite the obstacles. The students that I taught in my second year are about to graduate and I am so proud to be a part of their journey and success. I’m still in touch with many of them and am so excited when I hear about their college plans and future dreams.

I am proud of the academic success that I had with my students. In my first year 62% of them passed the state writing test compared to the school average of 48% the year before. In my second year over 80% passed which was equal to the top schools in the area. While I am very proud of my students’ academic gains, I am even prouder of the impact I had on their lives. At the end of each semester I asked my students to complete a survey about my class. To this day, I am still moved by what my students wrote. Brittany, a student in my honors class during my second year, when asked the most important thing she learned in my class responded: “I learned that you must think beyond your means. The sky is the limit and you must always strive not just to pass but to do the best you can.”

These students have an impact on my life. I think about them everyday in my work at United Way. I’m glad to be part of an organization that sees how important education is and that is working to make sure kids are starting kindergarten ready to learn and are graduating high school with the tools necessary to be successful in life.

I am overjoyed that Teach for America is coming back to Detroit. I am so excited for the next bunch of corps members to experience how great Detroit is and to begin the work of ensuring that all of their students are receiving an excellent education. I want Detroit to be a leader in education reform and I think bringing Teach for America as a partner is a step in the right direction. The reality is that only 3% of Detroit’s 4th graders are meeting national math standards. Something isn’t working for our children and we should be opening our arms to partners who want to help solve this problem, especially when they are having a positive impact in other cities with similar problems. I am excited to welcome the incoming corps members and to work with them to make sure that every child in our region is obtaining and excellent education and that Detroit is a leader in education.