Two local women and recent University of Mississippi graduates have been selected to join Teach for America’s 2016 teaching corps.

Keilettia Alford, a 2011 graduate of Oxford High School and 2015 graduate of the University of Mississippi, is teaching in Mississippi. Anne-Marie Herod of Abbeville, a 2012 graduate of Mississippi School of the Arts and 2016 graduate of the University of Mississippi, is teaching in South Louisiana.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, by the time students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch enter fourth grade, they are almost two years behind in reading and half a year behind in math compared to their more affluent peers. Recent studies by Mathematica Policy Research, researchers at the University of North Carolina, and the state of Tennessee found that corps members have a positive impact on student achievement.

Strong leaders

As leaders in the classroom, Teach For America corps members make an immediate impact on lives of their students. After their time with Teach For America, most corps members continue their promising trajectory as leaders in many different fields.

Working closely with families, communities, and educators of all backgrounds, Alford and Herod join a diverse group of individuals who have chosen to launch and continue ambitious careers of deep impact by leading in education.

“Our incoming corps members join a diverse, powerful network of leaders that include current corps members and more than 42,000 alumni who are all working to disrupt inequity and foster opportunity for all,” said Elisa Villanueva Beard, CEO of Teach For America. “I am excited to see the immense leadership, unique talents, knowledge, and passion these corps members bring into their classrooms this fall and to high-need communities throughout their careers.”

Alford and Herod will work with a remarkable and passionate group of advocates, including alumni, who are shaping the political, economic, and social future of the country, according to a Teach for America press release.

Today, 8,600 corps members are teaching in 53 urban and rural regions across the country while more than 42,000 alumni work across sectors to ensure that all children have access to an excellent education.

Teach For America is a member of the AmeriCorps national service network.