There is nothing more lamentable than the unrealized potential of an eager young mind. Yet the statistics are brutal: fully half of American children attending school in areas where extreme poverty is the norm won’t graduate from high school. For the most affluent nation in human history, this is simply unacceptable.

Enter Teach for America.

Teach for America is a nonprofit organization that recruits outstanding recent college graduates in a host of disciplines and sends them to regions hard-hit by economic problems. From the mean streets of the inner city to rural areas reeling from the departure of traditional industries and jobs, over 17,000 Teach for America volunteers have gone forth to spend two years bringing hope and inspiration to more than 2.5 million children.

It’s been said that education isn’t about filling minds with facts – it’s about lighting a fire that burns for knowledge. Teach for America is committed to making sure that fire will burn brighter and higher for millions of deserving, disadvantaged children. This admirable philosophy fits perfectly with The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation’s core mission of creating an educated citizenry. The Foundation’s leadership grant will provide for 20 teachers in the Washington, D.C. area.  We believe that promising young minds will continue to reap the priceless educational benefits that Teach for America offers for years to come.