Teach For America (TFA) was on campus last week educating DU students about their college graduate program and on education inequality across the United States.

Last Wednesday, the organization held an information reception for students with interest in the program. Both TFA staff and alumni spoke of their experiences at the event. This was meant to give students a general idea of what it would be like to be a part of this organization and what the application process was like.

TFA is not for everyone, so this event was meant to highlight the type of person that the program seeks in hopes of sparking an interest with graduating seniors.

The following night Kristy Martin, recruitment manager for TFA, spoke at the DUPB Thursday film, where they screened the film “Freedom Writers.” Starring Hillary Swank, this film is about a teacher who challenges her students to apply themselves academically and pursue a college degree.

Martin’s main focus with this event was that education inequality happens all over the country and in countless schools.

“‘Freedom Writers’ is just one story. Not everyone has the same experience. They can be very different,” said Martin, referring to the 46 urban and rural regions TFA reaches across the country. “The problem is not located in just one area. It is national.”

Teach for America is a non-profit organization that enlists a group of college graduates, graduate students and professionals each year who are recruited to teach in low-income communities throughout the U.S.

Wendy Kopp created the organization as part of her undergraduate thesis at Princeton University in 1989.

Donations and public funding keep TFA running, despite its recent criticisms from alumni and teachers across the U.S. who argue that brand new students are replacing more seasoned teachers in needy schools, as well as TFA’s tendency to focus on recruiting graduates from elite colleges.

2012 DU International business alum Zak Madelen is currently teaching algebra and geometry in Kansas City, Mo. to students ranging from seventh to 10th grade. Madelen’s first choice of location was Colorado while his second choice was his hometown of Kansas City, Mo.

Madelen first became interested in teaching during his sophomore year at DU when his fraternity Sigma Chi went to South High School to work with juniors and seniors during the college application process.

“The statistic that stuck out to me most was that in DPS[Denver Public Schools] roughly 50 percent of the students make it from elementary school to graduating high school,” said Madelen. “That is equivalent of the flip of a coin. To me, that is one of the most poignant representations of the state of public education in the United States.”

Throughout his time with TFA, Madelen has encountered some difficult times.

“There have been tough days where my kids and I don’t see eye to eye, or they have been dealing with issues at home and they bring it with them to school,” said Madelen.

Craig Hirokawa, a senior at DU majoring in International Studies, applied to the program last year and just recently was accepted into the program for next year.

“When I found out that I got accepted, I was mostly relieved that I officially had an option for next year,” said Hirokawa.
He chose to apply to the program because he was troubled by the education gap in the U.S. and wanted to play his part in the solution.

Hirokawa has been assigned to teach social sciences in San Jose, Calif., which was his second location choice after Colorado.

“My Asian American identity is very strong for me and I am tired of pervasive assumptions that all Asians are educationally successful,” said Hirokawa. “So while I was applying, I wanted to make it clear that I wanted to work in an area where there was a large number of Asian American students so that I can not only make a difference in the community that I work in, but also make a difference in my Asian American community.”

He acknowledges the drawbacks of joining TFA right out of college, as participants have to be ready for a demanding job and to be relocated soon after graduation.

The application process for TFA includes four stages. The first is to submit an online application, which includes personal information, academic history and leadership experience.

The second round is a two-part online activity that asks general and specific questions on a short provided film. The third step is a 30-45 minute telephone interview followed by the last round which is a full-day interview.
While this may sound like an overwhelming application process, many DU students have stepped up to the challenge.

“The application process was definitely manageable and was not as overwhelming as I thought it would have been,” said Hirokawa.

Four of the five deadlines have passed for this year’s TFA program. So far, nine DU students have been accepted into the program and two DU students that deferred from last year will join this year’s corps.

The final deadline for the online application is Feb. 15. If invited back, applicants must complete the online activity between Feb. 26 and Mar. 5. If candidates make it to the third round, telephone interviews are held between Mar. 8 and 13.

Lastly, the final interview can be scheduled during the week of Apr. 1. Applicants find out if they were accepted and learn where they will be located between Apr. 18 and May 1. This is also a deadline to accept or decline the TFA offer.

To learn more about the application process or the organization in general please contact Kristy Martin at kristy.martin@teachforamerica.org or visit their website http://www.teachforamerica.org.