Teach for America mentors Manning High School seniors for college decision day

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Teach for America corps member, teacher, and external facilitator Vernell Watson visited Manning High School last month to mentor students as they approached the end of the school year.  Teach for America works with communities to expand opportunities for students and teachers. Watson visited the school to present to students some interactive activities they can implement in the classroom as future leaders. Watson told students that making connections is a vital part of the TFA program, which is also aimed at developing teachers to ensure they achieve ambitious goals with students. According to the program's website, Teach for America also works with teachers to maximize their effectiveness and impact in the classroom. Teach for America is a nonprofit, national corps of leaders whose purpose is to enlist mentors, educators and community members as motivators for the purpose of growing and strengthening future leaders in America. Mentors with Teach for America commit time to working in schools with the hope of increasing students’ opportunities in life. Those working with Teach for America typically promise two years of their careers, post college graduation, to teaching in schools in underprivileged and underserved areas. Manning High School first worked with the program in 2010, hiring six teachers through the program who stayed for two years and taught in various capacities at Manning High School and Manning Junior High School. Watson told students that, with the end of the school year approaching, many of them after testing, will contemplate their futures. She explained the dynamics of the program to the students. And after sharing a humorous story with her listeners, she further talked about how the foundation is geared toward developing teachers and mentors to ensure the achievement of ambitious goals. “Getting students engaged using hands-on, minds-on techniques and interactive projects for students to work on in groups is our aim today,” said Watson. “We arranged the students into groups of four and encouraged them to pick very carefully, taking necessary details into consideration. “They then pick their teammates and arrange their groups of four," Watson added. "The aim in selectively picking their teammates is to encourage the students to be progressive and productive in their choices. This encourages students to connect more effectively with the projects they are about to endeavor upon.” As part of the mentorship, Walker encouraged students to analyze stories about each other in their groups and then to start making connections. Classroom fashion shows were one of the fun and engaging activities suggested to students as a tool to make an impact in the classroom as classroom leaders. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org/Get-Started/Learn-More.