Teach For America-Bound Laura Pearce '10 Profiled in Ohio Newspaper

June 23, 2010

Also: Seven Members of Class of 2010 Commit to Teach For America

June 23, 2010, Greencastle, Ind. — "Laura Pearce, a May graduate of DePauw University, has used her education to land an internship that took her around the world and is now working toward offering a quality education to children of less wealthy areas of the country," begins a piece in Northeastern Ohio's News-Herald. "The Mentor resident is training to become a secondary math teacher in the Teach For America program," reports Larece Gaier.

"Teach For America is an organization that is committed to ending the achievement gap in American public schools," Pearce tells the newspaper. "I first heard about Teach For America through my university and decided to look into it more." She will spend the next two years teaching at a school in the Mississippi Delta.

The article notes that Pearce interned at the CANDLES Holocaust Museum in Terre Haute and developed a bond with the organization's founder, Eva Kor.

"One of the things Eva always talks about is the difference between tolerance and respect," says Pearce. "That's something I never really thought about before meeting Eva. It isn't enough to be tolerant of other people, you must respect them as a human being, no matter who they are or how different they are from you."

She adds, "I had truly amazing teachers during my years in school and I understand the difference they can make for a child. I wanted the chance to make my own difference in students' lives and give more children the same opportunities I was given growing up."

Access the full profile at the News-Herald's Web site.

Learn more about Laura Pearce in this recent feature.

This fall, seven 2010 graduates of DePauw University will begin teaching as Teach For America corps members in urban and rural public schools across the country. Details can be found here.

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