Larger text
Smaller textTwo Mon Valley educators a part of national teacher program
Jeff Pikulsky is a Valley Independent staff writer and can be reached at 724-684-2635 or via e-mail.
Two Mon Valley educators will spend two years out of state as part of a national teacher program.
Chelsea Krepps, 22, of Belle Vernon, and Kayla Gatalica, 22, of California, were among 46,000 recent college graduates selected to be part of Teach for America.
The program asks recent college graduates interested in careers in education to commit to two years of teaching in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunities.
This school year, more than 8,200 Teach for America members will teach in 39 regions nationwide as 20,000 of the program's alumni continue working in education.
Krepps said she was overwhelmed when she found out this spring she was selected from the largest pool of applicants in the program's history.
"I cried," she said. "I was so excited. I couldn't believe it. I know the competition was great. Just to get into it, I was just ecstatic."
Krepps is teaching seventh grade science at Stevenson Middle School near Houston, Texas.
"It's a good subject to keep the kids interested," she said. "I like the high energy that science provides."
A 2006 Belle Vernon Area High School graduate, Krepps said her friend and classmate, Nicole Doctorick, got her interested in the program.
Doctorick is in her second year with Teach for America as a teacher at Cherry Hill Elementary and Middle School in Baltimore.
Krepps graduated in December from Ohio State University. She majored in psychology and minored in education.
She plans to use the Teach for America experience to decide where her career will go next.
"I'm just trying it and seeing how it goes. I always wanted to see what was out there," she said. "I had the chance to teach summer school this summer, and I just fell in love with the kids. I definitely want to stay in education."
Krepps said she hopes to gain insight from her Teach for America assignment.
"I'm always up for new challenges," she said. "I think I'm going to learn a lot about myself. Growing up in Belle Vernon, I didn't face the diversity. Coming down here and seeing how big the achievement gap is, I want to keep helping children that are impoverished and so far behind."
Krepps is the daughter of Ron and Sharon Krepps, of Belle Vernon.
Gatalica, a California resident born in Dover, Del., is teaching reading language arts to seventh graders at Buck Lodge Middle School in Prince George's County, Md.
A 2006 California Area High School graduate, she graduated this year from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Gatalica, who was a double major in English and international studies with a minor in Spanish, said one of her professors told her about Teach for America.
After serving as a peer writing tutor during her sophomore year and teaching English abroad for six months the following year, Gatalica began to consider becoming an educator.
Teach for America asks applicants to rank the areas they would like to be placed if they are selected.
Gatalica chose Washington, D.C., and was elated to hear that was where she was assigned.
"I picked D.C. because the adult illiteracy rate is 35 percent," she said. "In some wards, it's as high as 50 percent.
"I think it's a shame and unfair to the people in this great area that they're not getting the education they need. We need more teachers who will work relentlessly every day. There are a lot of them here, but we need even more. I wanted to be part of that."
Gatalica said she is learning from several experienced teachers and educational professionals.
She has been working with a Teach for America mentor and another supervisor provided by the school district.
"I feel like the program does a great job to get us prepared for the classroom," she said. "I really do wish that I had more classroom experience, and I'm excited that I can get that now. The veteran teachers at my school have so much experience, and I just can't wait to get to that point.
"I've also had a lot of informal mentors at my school. I got really lucky, I think. I feel so blessed to be at this place. If I'm still here in two years, I can see myself staying on."
Only a few days into the school year, Gatalica said she believes her Teach for America experience will be a worthwhile challenge.
"I can definitely say this is the hardest thing I've ever done. It's also the most rewarding thing I've ever done," she said. "I have 60 students. It's a lot to keep track of. Every kid is different. It's a lot of responsibility. It's completely different every day.
"I remember, when I was in high school, I never took it seriously. I thought teaching was the easiest job in the world. That is not how it is at all."
Gatalica said she will pursue a master of arts degree in teaching.
The daughter of Paula Gatalica, of California, and George Gatalica, of Monongahela, the young educator said she has her mind set on staying near the nation's capital.
"I'm not coming home for sure," she said of returning to the Valley. "I prefer the city. The D.C. area is wonderful. I love how diverse it is."
