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Teach For America Alum reflects on YES Experience

January 19, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

Do you remember your first couple of days of Institute? How overwhelmed you were with everything that you saw? How talented and dedicated the people around you seemed to be? How the passion was palpable everywhere you went?

I remember thinking that the first couple of days of Teach For America Institute were like the first couple of days of college: you are surrounded by a whole bunch of people that are more like you than anyone you knew in high school. Your reaction was, “this is where I belonged all along.” I distinctly remember being at Institute after a couple of days and thinking to myself, “wow, these people are even more like me than my friends in college…this is really were I belonged all along!”

I felt that way when I was in the classroom with my students, too! It is definitely where I belong. I had the distinct privilege of working with the greatest group of high school students in Camden, New Jersey for two years when I realized that I really wanted to find that same collaborative ethos that drove my Institute experience. I wanted to find out how to replicate all of the great things that Corps Members were doing in classrooms across Camden on a larger scale. I wanted to know if it was possible to have an entire school operating at a really high level. I was hoping to identify a district that was had figured out how to replicate the success of its highest performing schools. I was searching for an experience just like those first weeks of institute...

As it turns out, I was looking for YES Prep.

My first few weeks at YES Prep were very similar to those first weeks of Institute; I was at once overwhelmed, inspired, energized and committed to taking it all in and getting better each and every day. I found an entire school system that embraced the same core values that I had developed over two years as a corps member. And I mean, it totally makes sense: YES Prep was founded by Teach For America alum, six of the eight current school directors are alumni, over 50% of the staff are alumni, and in my school alone 4 of the 5 grade level chairs are corps members or alumni. Not only am I still working with amazing kids every day, but now I feel like my efforts are multiplied by the reality that my high expectations are being reinforced in every classroom!

I love the students at YES Prep because they have internalized our high expectations, too. They are willing to do “whatever it takes” every day. My colleagues know this and work relentlessly to improve daily in order to ensure that our kids are college-ready. I am inspired by the respect and humility of everyone on campus. Needless to say, it’s pretty incredible.

The entire experience at YES Prep has thus far been, exactly what I was looking for when I joined Teach For America. I definitely feel like I am living the long-term part of Teach For America’s mission in helping a school district like YES Prep grow to scale. Everyday reminds me of those first couple of weeks of institute and the sense of possibility that permeates the air. And you know what? I have caught myself on more than one occasion sitting back and thinking, “wow, these people are even more like me than my colleagues from Camden…this is really were I belonged all along!”

Zach Verriden teaches class Zach Verriden was a 2004 Teach For America Camden Corps Member. He studied Political Science at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Clarie and earned his master's in education from Harvard. Zach teaches high school history at YES Prep Southwest and serves as the 10th and 11th grade level chair.