Teachers from across America in Avoyelles system

They come from the East Coast, the Midwest, the Southeast, the Northwest. They were raised in big cities, small towns and everything in between. But the young teachers in the Teach For America (TFA) program in Avoyelles Parish have a few things in common -- they love their job, they enjoy working with the students and, yes, they REALLY like the food here.

September 10 was a special day for the TFA team at Marksville High as they hosted corporate partner Cleco. Cleco CEO Bruce Williamson visited the school and with several of the 11 TFA teachers at MHS. Cleco has donated $25,000 specifically to support the TFA program in Avoyelles Parish.

There are 22 teachers serving two-year stints in parish schools through that national program -- 11 at Marksville High, eight at Avoyelles High, two at Marksville Elementary and two at Riverside Elementary.

“I think it is important to support programs like this,” Williamson said. “It helps to educate the next generation which we hope will come to work for our company. It also helps to build up the workforce and the communities we serve.”

He said TFA is a particularly beneficial program because “it brings in skilled teachers from all parts of the country, providing them the opportunity to experience this great state while also bringing their experiences and viewpoints to share with our students.”

At the gathering, eight of the TFA teachers shared their views on the program.

Jessica Nelson, the oldest TFA teacher in the group at age 30, has a few years of teaching experience behind her and is a military wife with a husband stationed at Fort Polk. She is the only married one in the group.

“It’s going great,” she said. She is in her first year with the program. She taught in Washington State prior to joining the TFA program and coming to Avoyelles.

“It’s been a crash course in everything, but it has been rewarding,” she said. “There were some differences to get used to, such as the diversity of students here compared to Washington State.” She worked in an online “virtual school” in Washington. She teaches 8th-grade English here.

She had some bit of “culture shock” in the transition, but she is originally from South Carolina, so it was not as big an adjustment as it was for some of her colleagues.

Michael Kurtz, for example, hails from the Bronx, N.Y. He is now in his second year with the program, teaching 7th-grade math.

“The first year was a learning experience, but a very rewarding one,” Kurtz said. “It is a different life than I was used to. Learning to drive was not the easiest thing, but I couldn’t very well walk everywhere.

"It’s a different lifestyle here,” he continued. “Let’s just say that hunting and fishing were not too big in my neck of the woods in the Bronx -- but I am well-fed here. It is hard to say no to that Cajun food.”

Alice Brading, from Tennessee, is also in her second year here.

“It was a real challenge, mind-opening in a good way."

Shannon Holley, from Missouri, is in her first year as a 7th-grade English teacher at MHS and has found it to be “an enjoyable learning experience. I learned how big relationships are here,” she said. “It is important to build relationships with your students and their families."

Cay Wittenberg of St. Louis, Mo., is teaching 9th-grade science. She is in the first year of her two-year TFA commitment.

“Kids want to learn,” she said. “All they need are devoted teachers to help them -- and we’ve got a solid crew of those here at Marksville High.”

Megan Barnett, an 11th-grade English teacher from Hutchinson, Kansas, said she loves Avoyelles and will probably want to stay here at least one more year after her TFA commitment ends this year, and possibly much longer.

“The people are so friendly here,” she said. “They showed me so much kindness and compassion when I moved here.”

Jacob Power also loves the parish and its people.

“This is like a smaller version of my hometown in Florida,” he said. “The community is so welcoming and supportive of its teachers." He is in his second year as a 9th-grade algebra teacher.

Joshua Haston, a second-year TFA teacher in chemistry and environmental science, said he went from a small town in Tennessee to a large college town and now he’s back to a small town, “so I am able to relate to them on that level but I am also able to share experiences I have had as well.”

Several of the group said they would like to stay a year or longer after leaving TFA, but they are not sure what their career paths may hold for them at this time. A few indicated plans to return to school to get their master’s. Another said she would like to pursue a career in administration.

Liz Thurston, with TFA South-Louisiana, said statistics show that only 18 percent of TFA teachers come into the program with an intent to make teaching their profession. After the two-year commitment is finished -- which includes extensive training outside the school year -- more than two-thirds continue in education either as teachers, administrators or instructional coaches.

TFA has been in Avoyelles Parish since 2011, placing 16 teachers for a 2-year stint in 2011-12 and 2012-13. It placed 13 here in 2013-14 and added nine new first-year teacher this school year