Teach For America San Antonio: 2023-2024 Yearbook

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2023-2024 Yearbook

ReleasedDecember2024

I am thrilled to present Teach For America San Antonio's 2023-2024 Yearbook. Yearbooks have always been a cherished reminder of the connections and moments that shaped our time at school For me, they represent the joy of looking back on a chapter filled with growth and memories. As you explore the pages of this yearbook, I hope you feel the same pride and excitement, knowing that your support was instrumental in the success we’ve achieved. If you’re reading this, it’s because your contributions played a vital role in ensuring TFA SA continues to thrive and make a meaningful impact on our students. Thank you.

Within these pages, you’ll find stories and data that showcase the extraordinary progress we ' ve made together, thanks to the unwavering dedication of our TFA community. Our greatest achievement remains ensuring a high-quality education for students in under-resourced schools. With the strength of our team – 90 corps members and over 470 alumni in the region – we are making real change happen.

In San Antonio, our bold goal is to double the number of students in our community impact zones who meet college and career readiness benchmarks. To get there, we’re recruiting top-tier talent, supporting alumni who continue to lead in education, and extending learning through our Ignite program. We've also expanded community initiatives like our EduPitch programming in support of innovations and our Male Teachers of Color Cohort to further empower students and educators.

The collective power of this community is what fuels our progress and sets our students on a path of endless possibility. Our community is stronger together, and I am deeply humbled to be part of this movement. It is my privilege to work toward transforming education in a city where my family has deep roots, one that I have proudly called home for over a decade. I invite you to continue supporting and celebrating with us as we shape the future, together.

Yours in the movement,

By 2030, twice as many students in San Antonio’s urban core work will reach key college and career readiness milestones indicating they are on a path to economic mobility and a future filled with possibility.

Recruit Teachers and Leaders

Develop Teachers and Leaders

R i T h d L d

Build knowledge of evidence-based teaching practices

Build knowledge of new school models improving student outcomes

Build on school day learning with high-dosage tutoring

ucation in San Antonio her efficacy practices

Teach For America San Antonio is a force of over 700 leaders committed to changing outcomes for students through teaching, leading, and advocating throughout our community.

We train mission-driven leaders from every academic major, occupation, and background to illuminate every learner. Our corps members and alumni commit to creating opportunities for the next generation so all children can lead, learn, and contribute to a thriving San Antonio.

Corps Members, Alumni, and Ignite Fellows

Students Impacted in TFA Corps Member and Alumni Classrooms Each Day

ch For America San Antonio, we know our corps ers (CM) can go on to become policy and emakers in many fields on a local and national and it all begins with their experience in the oom.

eply value the corps member experience inside tside the classroom. Throughout the year, corps ers enjoy social events, receive professional pme li d h i i d

After several office jobs left me unfulfilled, a friend suggested I volunteer teaching English as a second language. For nearly two and a half years, I taught both online and in-person, and that’s when I truly fell in love with teaching. It wasn’t just about the subject it was the impact I could see unfolding in real-time. I realized I wanted to make this my career, despite the challenges facing the teaching profession, like the shortage of teachers and low pay. I knew that to create lasting change and challenge systemic issues in education, I needed the support of an organization like Teach For America.

When deciding where to teach, I knew I wanted to connect with students who shared my background and experiences. Growing up in South Texas, I was fortunate to have incredible teachers like Ms. Harris, Ms. Cavazos, and Dr. Kubala, who made learning exciting and impactful. Their kindness and dedication inspired me to give back in the same way. After speaking with alumni from the region, I realized San Antonio, especially its Title I schools, needed teachers who could make that kind of difference, and I was ready for the challenge.

In the classroom, I’ve learned that students thrive when teachers are authentic. By being vulnerable, building relationships with their families, and showing them that I care, I’ve seen remarkable transformations. Students want to be seen, understood, and heard. My goal is to give them that space—to help them grow, build confidence, and see the vast opportunities ahead of them.

TFA San Antonio ‘22

9th Grade English Honors & College Prep

Highlands High School

Our first promise to students as well as our district partners is that the recruitment, selection, and development of a TFA teacher leads to uncommon outcomes for students. While we are never satisfied with a relative bar, students in our TFA corps member classrooms consistently outperform those who are not - regardless of the certification pathway or years of experience of teachers in non-TFA classrooms. Not only do we perform stronger relative to our local partners, students in TFASA classrooms also outpace students from across Texas who are also growing up in ‘economically disadvantaged’ circumstances.

Our Ignite Fellowship Program (Ignite) is a tutoring corps designed to double down on the support we offer San Antonio students. It ensures students are equipped to meet critical reading and math milestones through high-impact tutoring that accelerates learning and fosters belonging w small group learning.

Ignite Fellows

of additional hours learning students recie the ‘23-’24 school y

“I chose to partner wit the results. When first spoke highly of Ignite. who were too timid to

Over the year, we cont skills continue to grow student growth to over

Our students have ex teachers do every day

- Ignite School Partner

Teach For America San Antonio (TFA SA) launched the Male Teachers of Color (MToC) Cohort to address the underrepresentation of male educators of color in schools. Research shows that students benefit from having teachers who share their background, with Black students who had just one teacher of color by 3rd grade being 13% more likely to enroll in college (Johns Hopkins University, 2018).

The MToC program supports male teachers of color, including Latinx educators, through professional development sessions featuring guest speakers, veteran educators, and community partners. These sessions address key barriers to retention, focusing on mentorship, wellness, and building relationships. Participants also explore professional growth in alignment with TFA SA’s mission of educational equity. The program provides a strong community of support and leadership, helping educators thrive and inspire students.

The fourth annual EduPitch event continued to showcase the power of community-driven innovation, with attendees coming together to support transformative ideas for schools across our city. Teach For America alumni passionately pitched their campus-based projects, competing for the opportunity to secure funding to expand their impact.

We were thrilled to celebrate Seam Klamm as the 2024 Grand Prize Winner for his innovative project, "Playground IEP." Additional participants Becky Lopez, Yesenia Hernandez, and Katie Bingham also presented their exciting initiatives, joining a distinguished cohort of 17 previous EduPitch finalists.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the night unforgettable, filled with creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to student success.

$100,000+

H-E-B (multi-region support)

Nancy Smith Hurd Foundation

Texas Education Agency

The Greehey Family Foundation

$25,000 - $99,999

Mr & Mrs Rex Amini

City Education Partners

OneStar Foundation

The William and Salome Scanlan Foundation

$10,000-$24,999

Sue and Bill Balthrope

Carla & John Brozovich

Marina Corona and Andrew Pittz

Cowden Family Charitable Foundation

$1,000-$9,999

James Adams

Ruth and John Agather

Broadway National Bank

C.H. Guenther & Son, Inc.

Investment Advisors Company

Frost Bank

V.H. McNutt Memorial Foundation, Inc.

Scott Weisberg

Teach For America San Antonio is deeply grateful for the support of the following individuals, corporations, and foundations that contributed to our efforts in our most recent fiscal year (June 1, 2023-May 31, 2024).

Crossvault Capital Management, A Prime Capital

Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation

Nicolas Garcia

Cece & James Griffin

Sarah Harte

Rebecca Hirsch

Claudia Huntington and Marshall Miller

Mr Alan Ibrahim

KSL Resources, LLC

Ms. Sonali Patel

Schulman, Lopez, Hoffer & Adelstein LLP

Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P.

Mr Warren Spencer

Spurs Sports and Entertainment

Sandra and Dale Tremblay

VACO San Antonio

Suzanne and Richard Wade

Brenda Zabojnik

$999 and Below

Jeffrey Block

Elise & Craig Boyan

Megin Boyles

Terri Crimmins

Veronica Diaz

Celine Dobbs

Andrew Ellis

Mendi Etheredge

Haydee Garza

Chrissy Greenhaw

Raul Hernandez

Alyssa Long

Dameon Lutz

Gene Miller

Celina Montoya

Nila Nieto

Christine Nishimura

Scott Palmer

Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union

Amanda Rivas

Jennifer Rodriguez

Christy Santo

Mr Brian Stackhouse

John Strodtman

Jade Tate

Candice Towe

Mr & Mrs Benjamin Tubb

Kristi Wyatt

“I hope you enjoy this yearbook, which reflects the remarkable progress we’ve made together and is a celebration of the power of community. Each milestone we’ve reached this year is a testament to the collective commitment we share to ensure every child across San Antonio has access to an excellent education, regardless of their zip code or background.

As I begin my first year as board chair, I am excited to continue to invest back into the community I call home. San Antonio is a unique place, rich in culture, resilience, and potential. It is also a region that faces significant challenges, especially in education. Yet, when I look at the progress we’ve made over the past year, I am filled with immense pride. We are not just addressing those challenges; we are reshaping the narrative for what is possible for our students. This is because of you our supporters, donors, educators, and community partners who continue to show up and invest in the future of our children.

The strength of our community is our greatest asset. It is the force that drives us forward and fuels the dreams of the next generation. As we continue this journey, I am inspired by the possibilities ahead and confident that, together, we will continue to empower our students to achieve great things.

On behalf of the Teach For America San Antonio Advisory Board, thank you for your partnership, your trust, and your belief in the future we are building together. I look forward to all we will accomplish in the year to come.

With gratitude!”

America

Scott Weisberg Board Chair Consultant Chief People Officer, Wendy's

Celine Dobbs enior Account Executive, GBTexas Communications

Nancy Gonzales oup Sales Account Manager, purs Sports & Entertainment

Cece Frost Griffin ssistant Vice President for Leadership Strategy, versity of Texas at San Antonio

Rebecca Hirsch ector of Content Strategy, Argo Group

Joseph Hoffer Managing Partner, Schulman, Lopez, Hoffer & Adelstein

Sonali Patel Private Wealth Advisor, Texas Capital Bank

Brenda Zabojnik Associate Director, Executive Search, VACO

Thank you for making the 2023-2024 school year one to remember! Your support of Teach For America San Antonio has been instrumental in our ability to recruit, develop, and empower corps members and alumni who are driving lasting change in public education across our community. As we look towards the next year, we remain focused on attracting top talent to our region while deepening our support for a growing alumni network that is dedicated to expanding opportunities for all students in our city.

We can do more together than we could alone - and we are grateful for your continued partnership in our essential work!

www.teachforamerica.org/san-antonio

www.instagram.com/tfa sa

www.facebook.com/teachforamericasanantonio

www linkedin com/company/teach-for-america-san-antonio

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