Two Years Ago.

This past Wednesday was the second deadline to join Teach For America's 2013 corp. This time two years ago, I submitted my application to join the 2011 corp. It's crazy how time has gone by, so much time that I have forgotten what was going through my mind during the application process. I went back to find my letter of intent and it brought back a rush of emotion- and it makes me giggle. While there are parts of me that, in retrospect, that are embarrassed by my 2010 overly zealous idealism, I am reminded of the big picture and how I ended up here.

Dear Teach For America Selection Committee:

I am sensitive to everything from words to worldviews, and people often ask me why I care. I have been a third culture kid my entire life, born and raised American, but living oversees. I have always been the majority, and I have never known what it is like to not live comfortably. Privilege has worked in my favor, but I know that my privilege is only privilege because it does not work in the favor of thousands of others. When people ask me why I care, I ask them why they don’t. 

Syracuse University consists of a privileged demographic. I know how blessed I am to be here. What I don’t know is how it’s possible that one of the top 10 impoverished areas in the country resides about five miles away, in the west side of Syracuse.

Last semester I worked with Blodgett School, located in the west side, in a building that was being condemned. Blodgett serves the highest percentage of pupils living in poverty in Syracuse, and the building was so far gone that it was deemed unsafe for students. Instead of renovating, governing powers wanted to shut Blodgett down. After seeing this first hand, how could I not care?

I learned how to care by always being cared for, and I care because in any situation, it could be me. People have always told me it’s a waste of time to care about problems that I can’t fix, but the disparity in education exists in my community, so it is my problem. The students at Blodgett School have just as much right to an education as I do. In a country as developed as ours, there is no excuse for the achievement gap in our education system. It is a problem that is now our problem.

As a Teach For America teacher I will care about my students. I will care for their well- being and I will care for the quality of education they will receive. I will provide the support my students will need to succeed, and I will challenge them to set goals and expectations for themselves. Students need to see how their education relates to the real world, and I will be that connection. Good teachers are teachers all the time, not only in the classroom. Outside of the classroom I will ensure that the structure and what is being taught in the classroom is reinforced at home.  I will work with parents, administration and the community to create a culture of support and empowerment of learning.

I am prepared to take on the responsibility of eliminating the achievement gap in our education system. I believe that Teach for America corps have the incredible opportunity to open unimaginable doors to students that transform their lives, and it is an opportunity that I will give my students. Teach for America corps care just as much as I do about the education of our children, and I am ready to join this team.

Sincerely,

Elyssa Yuen