Las Vegas Valley Leaders head to Public School Classrooms during “Teach for America Week”
Leaders from across the Las Vegas Valley will serve as guest teachers during Teach For America Week, held May 18–May 28 (Pictured: Nevada President of Bank of America, George W. Smith, guest teaches at J.E. Manch Elementary School, teaching an area and perimeter lesson to Ms. Karuna Russell‘s 4th grade class).
vada President of Bank of America, George W. Smith, helps a 4th grade student at J.E. Manch Elementary School with her area and perimeter lesson.
Confirmed participants include Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, Representative Dina Titus, Clark County Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky, Nevada State President of Bank of America George W. Smith, and several CCSD Board of Trustees members.
Teach For America Week unites community leaders nationwide in support of educational excellence for all children. These volunteers will visit the classrooms of Teach For America teachers, also known as corps members, and teach lessons based on their experiences in business, government, and additional sectors.
Nevada President of Bank of America, George W. Smith’s lesson plan for Teach for America week.
“We look forward to uniting local leaders from the community in the collaborative work of teaching and expanding educational opportunities for students,” said Victor Wakefield, executive director of Teach For America in Las Vegas Valley. “By sharing their expertise in classrooms across Las Vegas, these accomplished individuals will make a lasting impression on hundreds of students and help focus attention on the importance of providing all children with the educational opportunities they deserve.”
Teach For America is a national corps of top college graduates and professionals who commit to teach in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in efforts to expand educational opportunities for students. Teach For America’s network includes 10,400 corps members teaching in 50 regions across the country, as well as more than 37,000 alumni working in multiple sectors to help end educational inequity.
Nevada President of Bank of America, George W. Smith, guest teaches at J.E. Manch Elementary School, teaching an area and perimeter lesson to Ms. Karuna Russell’s 4th grade class.
This year in Las Vegas Valley, nearly 300 Teach For America corps members are reaching more than 17,000 students in underserved schools, while some 200 local alumni are working from every sector to level the playing field for students and families in low-income communities.
Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky will return as a guest teacher and teach in Anthony White’s class at Dean Petersen Elementary School on Wednesday, May 20. Anthony is in his second year of teaching at the school. For the 11th consecutive year, Clark County School District will partner with Teach For America as an additional source of talented educators in hard-to-fill subject areas.
“The most powerful element in education is the teacher in the classroom,” said Superintendent Skorkowsky.
George W. Smith will teach in Karuna Russell’s class at Manch Elementary School on Monday, May 18. Karuna is in her first year of teaching.
“Teach For America Week is always a highlight for me as part of our ongoing work with this program,” said Mr. Smith. “Teaching is one of the most challenging yet rewarding jobs there is, so it’s my hope that by bringing attention to this important role in young lives more people will be inspired to get involved with education. I will also surely learn a thing or two from Ms. Russell’s students while there!”
A growing body of rigorous research demonstrates the effectiveness of Teach For America corps members as classroom teachers. Recent studies in North Carolina and Tennessee found that corps members have a positive impact on student achievement.
Schedule for confirmed guest teachers:
Monday, May 18- 9:00 a.m.
George W. Smith, Nevada State President of Bank of America
Manch Elementary School
Monday, May 18 -9:00 a.m.
Dana Lee, Community Activist
Sunrise High School
Wednesday, May 20- 9:00 a.m.
Pat Skorkowsky, Superintendent of Clark County School District
Dean Petersen Elementary School
Wednesday, May 20- 9:00 a.m.
Connie Yeh, Downtown Project
Manch Elementary School
Thursday, May 21- 11:45 a.m.
Mike Pizzi, Vice President, USAA
Cashman Middle School
Friday, May 22- 12:30 p.m.
Steve McCracken, U.S. Trust
Keller Middle School
Wednesday, May 27- 9:45 a.m.
Representative Dina Titus
Western High School
Thursday, May 28- 11:00 a.m.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval
[School TBD]
Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunity for children facing the challenges of poverty. Founded in 1990, Teach For America recruits and develops a diverse corps of outstanding college graduates and professionals to make an initial two-year commitment to teach in high-need schools and become lifelong leaders in the movement to end educational inequity. Today, 10,400 corps members are teaching in 50 urban and rural regions across the country while more than 37,000 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow on Facebook and Twitter.