Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. & Teach For America Partner to Increase Recruitment of Latino Teachers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Cassandra D. Oshinnaiye

Vice President of Philanthropy

Philanthropy@lambdapichi.org

Nicole Dominicci

Vice President of Public Relations

PublicRelations@lambdapichi.org

Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. and Teach For America Partner to Increase Recruitment of Latino Teachers

New York, NY

May 23, 2008

Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. (Lambda Pi Chi), a NALFO member organization, announced today their partnership with Teach For America (TFA) to assist in increasing the number of Latino teachers in urban schools. As part of Lambda Pi Chi's Proyecto H.A.C.E.R (Hermanas Advancing Career and Educational Resources) the sorority, with the assistance of TFA, will coordinate information sessions and special workshops to inform Latino students and professionals on the opportunities available in teaching.

According to the Education Testing Service, the high school graduation rate for Latino students was 54% last year, compared with 78% of Caucasian students. As Teach For America works to close this achievement gap, the organization seeks to be diverse and aspires to serve as a model of the fairness and equality of opportunity they envision for our nation.

“We feel this is an opportunity for us to further help in closing the Latino student achievement gap and decrease drop out rates. By encouraging more Latinos to become teachers, students will have more role models and adults within their schools that would be able to not only make a connection with them, but also their parents,” says Cassandra D. Oshinnaiye, Vice President of Philanthropy for Lambda Pi Chi.

“Teach For America is thrilled to partner with Lambda Pi Chi, particularly as we continue to grow and expand in our effort to reach many more top student leaders,” Teach For America Diversity Recruitment Director Patricia Leon-Guerrero said. “This partnership is a tremendous step forward in bringing more Latinos into underserved classrooms across the country.”

Teach For America is expanding this year to twenty-nine urban and rural regions across the United States, with over 5,000 recent graduates teaching in classrooms from Hawaii to Connecticut. A recent study by the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute found that TFA teachers' effect on student achievement in core classroom subjects was nearly three times the effect of teachers with three or more years of experience.

“We are looking forward to joining Teach For America and the great work they do in schools throughout the country as well as providing college graduates with such a rewarding experience,” says Quisaira A. Whitney, President of Lambda Pi Chi.

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The first Latina focused sorority founded at an Ivy-league institution, Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. was established on April 16, 1988 at Cornell University. Comprised of undergraduate, graduate and professional women, Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. seeks to unify women through the promotion of community service programs that highlight the contributions of women and people of color with an emphasis on the Latina and offer opportunities for academic and professional advancement to members of historically under-represented groups.

For further information visit our website at www.lambdapichi.org or email us at info@lambdapichi.org.