TAMPA, Fla. — A teacher recruiter: that’s one way to look at Teach for America, an organization that finds, develops and supports people looking to teach in transformational schools.

Given the nationwide teacher shortages, Hillsborough County Schools is using Teach for America to help fill some of their vacancies, and while there is a finder’s fee for each teacher, district officials say it is money well-spent.

“Teach for America is a program we got connected with a couple years ago, and they are able to provide us with teachers who’ve gone through a variety of trainings that Teach for America provides, and they are a savior in one regard for school districts. They provide us with teachers that are energetic, qualified for every classroom they’re in,” said Craig Horstman, General Manager of Personnel Services for Hillsborough County Schools.

The assistant principal of Sheehy Elementary School in Tampa is a product of Teach for America and hired two teachers from the organization to help her students.

As a transformational school, students at Sheehy Elementary focus a lot on positive mindsets.

“One of our big ones is everything is possible, and we ingrain that in our kids, no matter what, no matter how hard it is, everything is possible if you work hard and believe,” said Demetria Geathers, the assistant principal, as she showed a large wall mural made by students lining the office hallway.

“I went through a very vigorous process with Teach for America and how they recruited, and as I went through the process, I knew that this is where I needed to be. It was a calling bigger than me,” she said.

Geathers is a 2007 Teach for America Corps member, and one who has gone well beyond the minimum two-year commitment required by the organization. She says it is not always easy finding qualified teachers willing to take on the challenges of transformational schools, but coming from Teach for America it’s almost guaranteed, and two will be starting here this school year.

“They are excited, they’re eager. We get lots of texts from them and they want to be here,” she said. “They feel called to do this work and when we interviewed them, they kept saying the same thing over and over. ‘This is what I want, I want to make a difference in these children’s lives no matter what,’” she said.

Knowing the difference Teach for America made in her own career, Geathers says she’s just as excited as her two new hires knowing the difference they can make in students’ lives. 

Teach for America primarily recruits recent college graduates. All receive professional development and one-on-one coaching. Hillsborough County Schools is hiring at least 20 teach for America teachers. Their pay and benefits are the same as other teachers.