The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

Why I Work at YES Prep by Nella Garcia

May 19, 2010 by Nella Garcia

I do not work at YES Prep – I live for YES Prep. This organization is the epitome of change and what is right for students. Here, I feel like I have the power to enact change, nurture it, and inspire it in others. 

I started teaching here when I was 22 years old. I accepted a job for around $800 every two weeks in a leaky warehouse with no air conditioning in the hottest months of the year. It wasn’t the glamorous job I had envisioned during my college career, but it pushed me to work harder than I ever had before. It pushed me to love a group of students more than I loved sleep, rest, food, exercise and time. It pushed me to make a difference and challenge myself to somehow get them to love what I was teaching. 

Being a part of the impact that YES Prep will make and has made makes me proud. It makes me believe that I have done something right with my life and my work. This is not a job, this is a calling. We are not teachers and directors, we are soldiers. Soldiers fighting a war against educational inequity. We will not take anything less than the best possible teachers, classrooms and experience for our students. They deserve it. I am here to make that happen. 

Today, I wake up every morning with the charge to develop teachers and others at YES to best serve the students that need it most. It is my greatest wish that all children have the opportunity to learn from teachers that generate and enourage learning.  As the Director of Teacher Development, I my call to action is one of incredible responsibility in serving teachers who will serve students.  That charge keeps me motivated and dedicated to this organization that changes the status quo.

Do I love my work? The answer is YES. 

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