Colorado

Colorado corps members teach in Colorado Springs, Denver, Aurora, Commerce City and Thornton. The cities combine the culture of major metropolitan areas with a spirit of outdoor adventure. Nicknamed the “Mile High City,” Denver has the 10th largest downtown in the United States, and the nation’s largest urban park system. Colorado Springs was rated as America’s Best City by Outdoor Magazine in 2009.

Quick Stats
Site Since: 2007
Corps Size: 184
Average summer temperature : 86° Average winter temperature : 48 °
Car: Access to a car is essential

Salary: $32,000-37,000

All placement sites are within the Front Range of Colorado, which is host to a multitude of activities, including professional sports teams, museums, performing arts centers, and a variety of outdoor activities from hiking to mountain biking. Across the front-range, the Latino and Hispanic population continues to grow, and currently makes up over 30 percent of the population. In 2006, Denver became a minority-majority city, citing that over half of the city’s population consisted of non-white citizens.

Life

Corps members can attend concerts at the Red Rocks Ampitheatre, a striking, naturally-formed outdoor venue, visit the Denver Art Museum with its new building designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, or explore the Downtown Aquarium and Denver Zoo. Colorado Springs offers a stunning view of Pike’s Peak, the Garden of the Gods state park, museums and a hip downtown scene. In Denver neighborhoods such as the Lower Downtown Historic District, or LoDo, residents find shopping, restaurants, and a vibrant night life.

Currently, many corps members choose to live in the heart of the urban centers of the Front Range. If placed in the Denver metro area, corps members often choose to live in the heart of Denver in older, historic homes and apartments. Capitol Hill, Highlands, Cherry Creek, City Park, and Cheesman Park are neighborhoods that have established distinct atmospheres where corps members reside. In Colorado Springs, corps members live within the heart of downtown in loft or condominium settings, in the funky and eclectic Manitou Springs area, or on the west side of the city in the historic Broadmoor area.

Corps Culture

The Colorado corps is playing a significant part in the development of regional programming and corps culture. Colorado corps members attend monthly all-corps meetings, participate in learning teams with other corps members who teach the same grade or subject, and enjoy cultural events and social gatherings with colleagues and friends. There are opportunities for Colorado corps members to assume leadership positions in the corps.

Because diversity is essential to us achieving our goals and operating according to our core values, Teach For America • Colorado engages in discussions and workshops throughout the year, as well as offers one of the nation’s only year-long diversity curriculum as a continuation of diversity, community, and achievement. This year corps members can choose to participate in discussions on topics such as assets-based thinking and its impact on students, as well as a series of workshops on culturally responsive pedagogy, host book-clubs, panel discussions and special events, all with the purpose of benefiting our students through improving our instructional practices.