2013-05-18T13:37:56-04:00 Amanda Fernandez http://www.voces.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=amanda-fernandez Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Amanda Fernandez Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2768797 2013-02-26T17:56:12-05:00 2013-04-28T05:12:01-04:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/
Fuimos testigos de cómo una jueza latina de la Corte Suprema prestó juramento al Vice Presidente; un niño Pedro Pan, ahora pastor, dio la bendición inaugural; y un profesor y poeta latino entretejió su experiencia como inmigrante con la importancia e influencia de su madre (cosa necesaria para muchos de nosotros) en su historia, y nuestra amplia historia como latinos para conmemorar el inicio del periodo de gobierno de nuestro Presidente número 44.



En una nación donde los latinos tenemos las tasas más altas de pobreza y donde tenemos la menor probabilidad de asistir y graduarnos de la universidad, esta ocasión tan representativa es una luz brillante y un paso muy visible hacia la dirección correcta. También sabemos que la educación jugó un papel crucial en las vidas de cada uno de estos líderes latinos, y en que ellos tuviesen un lugar en la historia que se creó durante la inauguración.

Mientras nos esforzamos por lograr "un hoy" como nación y según lo recitado por Richard Blanco, Teach For America (TFA) busca lograr "un día" para nuestra comunidad latina y los cientos de miles de niños latinos a quienes enseñamos para que se puedan ver a sí mismos, no como personajes o caricaturas, sino como jueces, pastores o escritores a quienes ahora pueden ver y aspirar a ser. Creemos que los excelentes maestros son cruciales y que los que comparten los antecedentes de nuestros niños tienen un profundo impacto adicional en sus salones de clases, y son líderes absolutamente fundamentales en el proceso de la lucha por la igualdad en la educación.

Un estudio reciente diseñado para informar sobre cómo atraer, preparar, apoyar y retener de una manera más eficaz a los profesores latinos, apoya esta creencia. El estudio de los académicos Jason Irizarry y Morgaen Donaldson de la Universidad de Connecticut, mostró evidencia que los latinos en tres puntos distintos dentro del campo de acción de los profesores (estudiantes de escuela secundaria, profesores de licenciatura y previos a servicio, y profesores de Teach For America prestando servicio activo) "demostraron un gran compromiso para regresar a escuelas similares a las que habían asistido, para abordar las injusticias sistemáticas dentro de sus propios antecedentes educativos".

Los maestros latinos dentro de la muestra de docentes de TFA estuvieron más comprometidos con su ingreso a la enseñanza y a enseñar en escuelas de bajos recursos, así fuera a través de TFA o de alguna otra ruta. Las descripciones narrativas de los profesores pre-servicio y los estudiantes de la escuela secundaria documentan un enfoque centrado en la comunidad para convertirse en profesores, a pesar de enfrentar retos excesivos con relación al estado de su comunidad y a los obstáculos que ellos enfrentaron para recibir una excelente educación.

Para garantizar que más de nuestros niños latinos tengan la oportunidad de realizar sus sueños, es crucial que aumentemos el número de modelos a seguir de origen latino que están liderando nuestros salones de clases y escuelas. Nuestros latinos educados en licenciatura y universidad pueden tener un impacto increíble sobre sus propias comunidades a través del campo de la educación. Teach For America es un camino, pero de ninguna manera es el único.

En TFA muchos de nuestros maestros latinos están haciendo compromisos de liderazgo a largo plazo con sus salones de clases, mientras que otros están asumiendo cargos de liderazgo en la educación y los campos relacionados para poder así abogando para brindar una excelente educación para todos los niños latinos.

Es muy alentador ver como nuestra narrativa latina está cambiando para mejorar. Hagamos que nuestra voz, nuestra experiencia y la excelente educación que damos a nuestros niños se encuentre en la sección de "no-ficción" de las librerías durante muchos años por venir. Tenemos una gran cantidad de trabajo por delante, y hacer crecer la fuerza de excelentes y diversos profesores es un punto central para garantizar nuestro sueño y que la historia de nuestros niños tenga un final feliz.

COMPARTE TU OPINIÓN

VE ADEMÁS:
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2550786 2013-01-29T12:20:10-05:00 2013-03-31T05:12:01-04:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/
In a nation where we latinos have the highest poverty rates and where we are the least likely to attend and graduate college, this momentous occasion is a true bright spot and a very visible step in the right direction. We also know that education played a critical role in each of these latino leaders lives and in them having a place in the history that was made at the inauguration.

While we strive to achieve "one today" as a nation as recited by Richard Blanco, Teach For America (TFA) strives to achieve "one day" for our latino community and the hundreds of thousands of latino children we teach so that they can see themselves not as characters or caricatures but as the judges, pastors or writers that they can now see and have aspirations to be. We believe that great teachers are critical and that great teachers who share the backgrounds of our children have a profound additional impact in their classrooms and are absolutely critical leaders in the fight for educational equity.

A recent study designed to inform how we can better attract, prepare, support, and retain latino teachers supports this belief. The study, by University of Connecticut scholars Jason Irizarry and Morgaen Donaldson, showed evidence that latinos at three distinct points along the teacher pipeline (high school students, undergraduate pre-service teachers, and in-service Teach For America teachers) "displayed a forceful commitment to returning to schools like those they had attended to address systematic injustices in their own educational backgrounds."

Latino teachers in the sample of TFA teachers were more committed to entering teaching and to serving in low-income schools, whether through TFA or another route. Narratives of pre-service teachers and high school students document a community-minded drive to become teachers despite facing inordinate challenges tied to their community's status and the obstacles they themselves faced in acquiring a great education.

To ensure more of our latino children have the opportunity to realize their dreams, it is critical that we increase the number of latino role models who are leading our classrooms and schools. Our undergraduate and college educated latinos can have an incredible impact in their own communities through the field of education. Teach For America is one path, but by no means the only path. At TFA, many of our latino teachers are making long-term leadership commitments to their classrooms while others are taking on other leadership roles in education and surrounding fields so they can continue to advocate for providing a great education to all latino children.

It is heartening to see how our latino narrative is changing for the better. Let us ensure that our voice, our experience and the excellent education we give our children is found in the non-fiction section of the bookstore for years to come. We have tremendous work ahead of us and adding to the force of great, diverse teachers is central to ensuring our dream and the story of our children have a happy ending.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2077176 2012-11-05T12:00:37-05:00 2013-01-05T05:12:01-05:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/

Con frecuencia hablo sobre las desigualdades educativas en nuestro país y el hecho de que los latinos actualmente tienen las tasas de pobreza más altas en la nación y los logros académicos más bajos. De lo que no hablo con frecuencia es sobre quienes sí lo hemos logrado, ese pequeño porcentaje de personas que vencimos las probabilidades y obtuvimos un título universitario.

Podremos ser los primeros de nuestras familias en haberlo logrado y luchamos por un puesto en la mesa, para que nuestras voces fueran escuchadas, para que nuestro liderazgo emergiera y para la capacidad de forjar conexiones fuertes y construir comunidad cuando se opera en un ambiente de la corriente dominante.

Me recordé de la importancia de las experiencias compartidas cuando hace solamente unas semanas, Teach For America reunió a todo el personal latino en Washington DC para pasar un tiempo explorando estas tres áreas y también para participar en la Conferencia sobre el 35º Aniversario y los eventos conmemorativos del Instituto del Caucus Hispano del Congreso. ¿Por qué hacer este tipo de inversión?

Tenemos una organización altamente comprometida con la diversificación y nos hemos concentrado en la fuerza creciente de hispanos en nuestro trabajo como organización educativa. Actuamos sobre el deseo de nuestra gente de formar parte de una comunidad de individuos que comparten experiencias similares. Una experiencia compartida que es verdaderamente vinculante es la de ser latinos educados que navegan entornos de trabajo predominantemente blancos. Conocemos de primera mano los retos y oportunidades del biculturalismo y tenemos un fuerte deseo de cambiar las reglas del juego para los niños que viven en la pobreza a través de la educación.

Todo el tiempo escuchamos que la crisis educativa "no es solamente un problema latino", sino un "problema de los Estados Unidos". Literalmente, nuestra nación no puede darse el lujo de dejar de atender este tema. Me pregunto si se está escuchando lo mismo dentro de la corriente dominante porque no veo que nuestra perspectiva y experiencias se reflejen allí con mucha frecuencia.

Es por esto que es crítico para nosotros como comunidad latina tener una voz. Como lo evidencian las actuales campañas presidenciales, sabemos que nuestra voz debe ser escuchada a través de nuestro voto. Si bien hay un enfoque en la tarea inmediata de aumentar la participación de votantes latinos, nuestros esfuerzos no deben terminar ahí. Una gran preocupación para la comunidad latina es la educación. Los hispanos que nos hemos beneficiado de una educación de calidad debemos armar a nuestra comunidad con información y defender la calidad de la educación para nuestros niños, ya sea que formemos o no formemos parte del sector de la educación.

Liderazgo. Todos jugamos un papel importante en el desarrollo del liderazgo de los hispanos. Mi punto de vista es que no solamente necesitamos muchos más líderes latinos dentro de nuestras comunidades latinas, sino también debemos garantizar que ocupemos un lugar en la mesa de la corriente dominante, de manera que nuestras perspectivas y aquellas de nuestra comunidad, se vean representadas. Algunas veces, uno tiene que ser el que educa, el que está en desacuerdo, ser el "único" en el salón, pero este es un precio pequeño cuando hay tanto en juego para nuestros niños y el legado que dejamos para ellos.

Comunidad. El enfoque continuo en la diversidad de la comunidad latina es una pobre excusa para no lograr un avance. Cuando estuve en un salón lleno de latinos que representan varias nacionalidades, tonos de piel y experiencias, el sentimiento en el salón fue diferente. Hubo camaradería, un lugar para que nuestras culturas brillaran y un espacio para explorar nuestro viaje de la identidad latina. El estar rodeados de personas que lo entiendan representa una gran diferencia.

Para aquellos hispanos que hemos recibido el regalo de una educación, tratemos de encontrar nuestra voz, desarrollar nuestro liderazgo y construir comunidad. Es a través de nuestros esfuerzos colectivos que la visión y expectativas que nuestras familias tienen para nosotros serán realizadas, no solamente para esta generación, sino para las futuras generaciones de latinos.


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]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1966835 2012-10-24T19:07:20-04:00 2012-12-24T05:12:02-05:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/
I was reminded of the importance of shared experiences when just weeks ago Teach For America brought together all Latino staff members to Washington DC to spend time exploring these three areas and also to participate in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institutes' 35th Anniversary Conference and events. Why make such an investment?

We have an organization wide commitment to diversity and we have put a focus on the growing force of Hispanics in our work as an education organization. We act on the desire of our people to be part of a community of individuals who share similar experiences. One shared experience that is truly binding is that of being educated Latinos navigating predominately white work environments. We know firsthand the challenges and opportunities of biculturalism and we have the strong desire to change the game for children in poverty through education.

We keep hearing that the education crisis is "not just a Latino problem" but "an American problem." Our nation literally cannot afford to leave it unaddressed. I wonder if this same message is being heard in the mainstream, because I don't see our perspective and experiences reflected there very often.

This is why it is critical for us as a Latino community to have a Voice. As evidenced by the current presidential campaigns, we know our voice must be heard through our vote. While there is a focus on the immediate task of increasing Latino voter turnout, our efforts must not end there. A top concern for the Latino community is education. Hispanics who have benefited from a quality education must arm our community with information and advocate for quality education for our kids, whether we are in the education field or not.

Leadership. We all play a role in developing the leadership of Hispanics. My view is that we not only need many more Latino leaders in our Latino communities but we also must ensure that we have a place at the table in the mainstream so our perspectives and those of our community are represented. Sometimes you do have to be the one to educate, to disagree, to be the "only" in the room, but that is a small price when so much is at stake for our kids and the legacy we leave for them.

Community. The continued focus on the diversity of the Latino community is a poor excuse for progress not made. When I was in a room full of Latinos who represent various nationalities, skin complexions and experiences, the feeling in the room was different. There was camaraderie, a place for our cultures to shine, and a space to explore our journey of Latino identity. Being surrounded by those who might just understand makes a big difference.

For those of us Hispanics who have received the gift of an education, let us strive to find our voice, develop our leadership, and build community. It is through our collective efforts that the vision and expectations our families have for us will be realized not only for this generation but for generations of Latinos to come.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1773260 2012-08-13T16:28:56-04:00 2012-10-13T05:12:11-04:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/

Este próximo año escolar ingresará un numero récord de 5,800 nuevos maestros a Teach For America para trabajar en las escuelas más necesitadas de la nación. Esta cifra incluye 550 que se identifican como latinos, marcando el mayor ingreso de miembros hispanos a Teach For America durante sus 23 años de historia. Con este número de nuevos maestros, Teach For America tendrá un total de 10,000 miembros de primero y segundo año que llegarán a más de 750,000 estudiantes - 40 por ciento de quienes son latinos - a través de 46 regiones en 36 estados y el Distrito de Columbia. Esto ubica a Teach For America entre los mayores proveedores de maestros hispanos en el sistema de escuelas públicas del país.

¿Quiénes son estos latinos y por qué decidieron unirse a este esfuerzo?

Si bien persiste el concepto errado de que todos los maestros de Teach For America son personas privilegiadas, hay cierta verdad en el hecho de que nuestros maestros, incluyendo a los hispanos, han disfrutado el privilegio de lograr acceso a un título universitario y muchos han sido afortunados al tener a alguien en sus vidas, quienes los ha apoyado para perseguir sus metas educativas. Cada uno de nuestros maestros tiene pasión en lo que significa este privilegio -- ellos saben que una excelente educación no debe ser algo que sólo algunos de nosotros podamos tener. Debería ser el derecho de cada niño y cada familia.

Los miembros y egresados de origen latino a quienes yo conozco están muy involucrados y comprometidos con el problema de la desigualdad educativa de su generación, teniendo como meta: garantizar que los jóvenes que están creciendo en medio de la pobreza reciban las oportunidades educativas que merecen, un problema que tiene un impacto desproporcionado para los latinos. En la actualidad, los hispanos tienen las mayores tasas de pobreza en la nación, donde uno de cada tres niños hispanos viven en comunidades de bajos recursos y, en promedio, los niños de nueve años ya se encuentran dos o tres cursos detrás de sus contemporáneos más afortunados.



Muchos de los miembros latinos de Teach For America se han visto impactados por experiencia propia de la desigualdad en el acceso a la educación, y quieren formar parte de algo más grande que ellos mismos. Ellos vienen de todo el país, de comunidades como Boston, Miami, el este de Los Ángeles y Kansas City. En muchos casos hay una historia compartida y una comprensión de la experiencia latina que les ayuda a lograr confianza con sus estudiantes y sus familias. Las habilidades de liderazgo con las que vienen y que continuarán desarrollando, junto a su profunda comprensión de los retos que enfrentan nuestras comunidades hispanas, son la base para convertirlos en ejemplos a seguir para sus estudiantes.

Estos líderes académicos innovarán, con sus propias soluciones, cómo ayudar a sus estudiantes y sus familias a aspirar a los logros educativos. Más adelante, tomarán diferentes caminos en su continuo esfuerzo por cerrar la brecha de la educación - muchos seguirán enseñando y llevarán a sus alumnos a alcanzar logros importantes, otros liderarán sus escuelas propias, otros abrirán sus propias organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro, en fin, se convertirán en líderes políticos, y la lista continúa. Todo esto para garantizar que cada niño reciba una excelente educación, sin importar donde vive o el color de su piel.

Durante los últimos 23 años hemos visto que, gracias a la experiencia exitosa de enseñar en algunas de las escuelas más necesitadas de nuestra nación, estos líderes latinos logran la credibilidad, la inspiración, la esperanza y la audacia de creer en su capacidad de ayudar a transformar vidas. Esta experiencia alimentará la rabia y la frustración acerca de una situación devastadora para los prospectos de vida de niños como ellos, que vienen de sus mismas comunidades. Ellos lograrán entender que la indiferencia no es una opción.

Mi esperanza es que los lectores de este blog tengan la oportunidad de interactuar con los miembros y egresados latinos del grupo. A diario me inspiran sus motivaciones y sus esfuerzos por formar parte de un cambio positivo en la trayectoria de vida de los niños hispanos a lo largo y ancho del país. Mientras continuamente estamos trabajando para comprometer más latinos en esta labor, me motiva el avance que estamos viendo y el impacto que este número creciente de maestros latinos tendrá sobre nuestras escuelas y comunidades.

]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1694173 2012-07-24T06:30:15-04:00 2012-09-23T05:12:09-04:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/ 550 who identify as Latino. This marks the largest incoming Latino corps in Teach For America's 23-year history. With these incoming teachers, 10,000 first- and second-year Teach For America corps members will collectively reach more than 750,000 students -- 40 percent of whom are Latino -- across 46 regions in 36 states and the District of Columbia. This puts Teach For America among the largest single providers of Latino public school teachers in the country. Who are these Latinos and why did they decide to join this effort?

While the misconception that Teach For America teachers are all people of privilege continues to persist, there is an aspect of truth in that our teachers, including our Latino teachers, have enjoyed the privilege of access to a college degree and many have had the benefit of someone in their life supporting them to persist in their educational pursuits. Each of our teachers has a fire in their belly about this privilege--they know that a great education shouldn't be something only some of us get. It should be every child's and family's right.

The Latino corps members and alumni I know are deeply invested in committing themselves to this social justice issue of their generation: ensuring that our youngest learners growing up in poverty are getting the educational opportunities they deserve, an issue which disproportionally impacts Latinos. Latinos now have the highest poverty rates in the nation with one in three Hispanic children living in low-income communities where, on average, nine-year-olds are already two- to three- grade levels behind their more affluent peers.

Many of Teach For America's Latino corps members have been impacted by disparities in educational access in their own experience and want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They come from across the country in communities like Boston, Miami, East LA, and Kansas City. In many cases there is a shared history and understanding of the Latino experience that helps them to build trust with their students and their families. The leadership skills they come with and that they will continue to develop, along with their deep understanding of the challenges our Latino communities face, set them up to be powerful role models for their students.

These teacher leaders will innovate their own solutions of how to help their kids and families to aspire to achieve academically. And down the road they will take a number of different approaches in their continued work to close the achievement gap - many will continue to teach and lead their kids to significant achievement, others will lead schools of their own others, start their own non-profits, become political leaders, and the list goes on. All in order to ensure that every kid--no matter their zip code of skin color--receives a great education.

Over the last 23 years, we have seen that through the experience of teaching successfully in some of our nation's highest-need schools, these Latino leaders will gain the credibility, inspiration, hope and audacity to believe in their capacity to help change lives. The experience will fuel an anger and frustration about a situation that is devastating to the life prospects of children that look like them and come from their communities. They will come to realize that not acting is simply not an option.

My hope is that readers of this blog will get a chance to interact with our Latino corps members and alumni. I'm inspired daily by their motivations and what they are doing to play a part in changing the life trajectory of Latino children across the country. While we're continually working to engage many more Latinos in this work, I am encouraged by the progress we are seeing and the impact this growing number of Latino teachers will have in our schools and communities.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1339995 2012-03-19T05:25:46-04:00 2012-05-19T05:12:01-04:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/ http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/colle ctive_impact- the commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem. While there are countless organizations working today to ensure that Latino children are getting access to a quality education from Pre-K all the way to and through college, are we all focused on a common and collaborative path to achieving this vision?

At New Futuro and at Teach For America, we have been asking ourselves this question. What we've come to believe is that we must fundamentally transform how like minded organizations like us collaborate to help the Latino community. We must utilize all available resources in support of Latino children to truly elevate their voices and be the advocates they and their families so desperately deserve. We think we can collaborate in more meaningful ways, measure the success of our collective efforts and hold ourselves accountable as a community of supporters to ensure educational progress is made.

Teach For America and New Futuro have recently joined forces toward this aim. New Futuro is a socially innovative, Hispanic education community helping Latino families get their students into college and beyond. Built on a free, bilingual, "high-touch, high-tech" platform, New Futuro has created a robust community of Latino students and parents, non-profit organizations, education institutions, government agencies, and corporations to connect those that need help with those that provide it. The overall experience facilitates the process of navigating the educational system, leading to better outcomes for Latino Kids going to college.

Teach For America is the national corps of top recent college graduates and professionals who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity. Over 40% of the students and families Teach For America teachers reach are Latino.

We have come together because we recognized the interdependencies of each of our respective missions and the communities and partners with whom we work. New Futuro has valuable information and tools that the kids we teach and their families need in order to understand their path to college, get there and finish. Teach For America has corps members and alumni teaching Latino kids in schools across the nation. We connect the two and we connect one another to other potential collaborators.

Our Latino community is very interdependent, constantly interacting with faith-based organizations, youth organizations, government agencies and community based organizations as part of their daily lives. This landscape presents a tremendous opportunity for organizations that want to address the Latino education crisis. We will only produce collective impact through partnerships that recognize the inter-dependent nature of our community.

We know we aren't the only ones thinking about this and taking action in this way. We ask others who serve our Latino community to work toward building a collaborative community that is focused on the common goal of ensuring Latino children will get access to a quality education and the freedom of choice in pursuing their personal and professional aspirations. Join us in building a community that is committed to leveraging each other's resources, insights and expertise. Let's take ourselves from co-existing to actively collaborating by utilizing technology and the best collaboration models. Together we can create an ecosystem where all stakeholders drive student outcomes while collaborating in meaningful ways.

Elkin Arredondo is the VP of Partnerships at New Futuro
Amanda Fernandez is the VP of Latino Community Outreach at Teach For America
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.1017818 2011-10-18T16:45:00-04:00 2011-12-18T05:12:01-05:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/

Latinos now have the highest poverty rates in the nation

9 -year-olds growing up in low-income communities are already two- to three- grade levels behind their more affluent peers

Despite college enrollment rising significantly among Hispanics, they continue to be the least educated major racial or ethnic group in terms of completion of a bachelor's degree.

These are just some of the statistics that were discussed during the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Conference held last month in Washington D.C. These are realities in our nation that we as Latinos must come together on. We must ensure that our voices are being heard so all Latino children receive a quality education that will put them on a different life trajectory.

I had the honor of attending the conference with 40 of my Teach For America Latino colleagues. While we come from many different nationalities and backgrounds, we have a shared conviction that educational inequality is the social justice issue of our time and a mutual commitment to being part of the efforts to address this issue head on. We see this injustice everyday in our classrooms and communities, yet firmly believe it is solvable.

The three day conference provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with Hispanic leaders -- elected officials, community activists, corporate executives, and educators -- from across the country around issues of critical importance to the Hispanic community. It was invigorating to hear so many Latino leaders voice a deep understanding of the urgent need to create true educational opportunity for our Latino kids. This school year, Teach For America is supporting 700 Latino teachers as they channel their energy into classrooms in low-income communities nationwide. These Latino leaders -- part of a corps of 9,000 who are reaching 600,000 children, over 40 percent who are Latino -- will be powerful role models and advocates for their students.

As a Latina at Teach For America, I am proud to be a part of growing efforts to help children in the very Latino communities that my colleagues and I come from. It is humbling to work alongside those who are recruiting more outstanding Latinos into the critical work of creating educational equity, supporting and developing our teachers, and fostering the leadership of our alumni. It is equally humbling to be working with so many partners -- organizations such as CHCI, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, New Futuro, and Hispanic Heritage Foundation -- who are committed to our communities and giving Latino kids the access to the educational opportunities they deserve.

We urge you to join us. Let your voices be heard for the sake of Latino children.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.813440 2011-01-25T14:40:12-05:00 2011-05-25T18:25:24-04:00

Amanda Fernandez http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-fernandez/
While there are pockets of progress, we are nowhere close to where we need to be. Too many Latino children in low-income communities are trapped in a cycle of poverty and educational inequity. However, what we do know is that when committed teachers, school leaders, parents and other influencers, provide the necessary supports and inspire Latino children to aim higher academically, they can perform dramatically better, reach their personal goals, and ultimately make critical societal contributions.

Laura Saldivar's story exemplifies the potential impact outstanding teachers and leaders can have on children in low-income communities. Laura attended Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas, and was greatly influenced by her high school English Language Arts teacher, Frances Santos. Ms. Santos was the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night and provided a powerful model of what perseverance looked like. Ms. Santos had a consistent message for Laura: You can achieve at the highest levels and create future opportunities if you work hard now. Through Ms. Santos's belief in Laura, Laura worked hard and went above and beyond expectations, matriculating to Georgetown University in 2001.

Motivated to give back to the Latino community, Laura joined Teach For America upon graduation and taught ninth-grade English and English as a second language in the Rio Grande Valley. In her classroom, Laura led more than 80 percent of her students to pass the statewide exam. In 2010, Laura was named the executive director of Teach For America's San Antonio region. Several of the teachers in the San Antonio teaching corps work in Jefferson High School's English department, which Ms. Santos recently chaired.

Laura is just one example of countless stories that highlight the positive effect of teachers in the classroom who have helped their students to achieve beyond what they may have imagined for themselves. In low-income communities across the country, there are more than 8,200 Teach For America teachers preparing 500,000 students, including 200,000 Latino children, for success in academics and in life.

At Teach For America, we have seen that our most effective teachers represent all races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. When such teachers share the backgrounds of the students we serve, however, they have the potential to have a profound additional impact and serve as powerful models for success in education and in life.

That's why Teach For America continues to focus on refining our approaches to recruiting, selecting, training and advancing diverse talent in the movement to end educational inequity. This begins with recruiting at more than 350 schools across the country, including 23 Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). At the same time, we are expanding partnerships with national Hispanic serving organizations to ensure we have many channels by which to recruit Hispanic talent.

The achievement gap that persists in our country is a massive and urgent problem. Yet we know that it is solvable, and that educational opportunity can make all the difference. By continuing our work to build a pipeline of leaders, with a particular focus on Latino leaders, who will commit to ending educational inequity, we hope to help more Latino children reach their full potential and realize their dreams.]]>