7/20/11
Brandon in the field!
When I received word in January that I was going to be a Teach for America teacher, my whole world just seemed right. I then looked at my placement and saw that I was going to be placed in the Mississippi Delta and I was so excited because it was my first choice. I chose the Delta because it was highlighted on the TFA website as the region with the highest need and I knew that I was ready to give my all in order to help close the achievement gap.
I arrived at Jackson-Evers International Airport on June 7th, 2011, excited and eager to get started. It was so amazing to meet all of the TFA teachers in my region, everyone was just so amazing. We jumped in a shuttle together and off we went to Delta State University for Institute. The Institute experience was a wonderful one and it was full of lots of hard work and encouraging gains. My summer placement was at an Elementary School and I taught entering 2nd graders. It was just a pleasure to teach all of my students, they all were truly special.
It is very clear that there is an amazing movement happening here in the Delta but there is still so much more to do. I am extremely excited to be teaching in Mississippi along with the other 200 plus 2011 corps members. I am so excited to be a part of this fight and extraordinary journey. I know the road ahead is full of bumps and unexpected turns, but I am so devoted to my students that at the end of the day, their success is all that is important to me.
Posse Love,
Brandon Hawkins
Middlebury Class of 2011
Teach for America 2011