Our corps members
Placement regions
Corps and Alumni
Mid-Atlantic
Philadelphia/Camden/Delaware
Teach For America • Mid-Atlantic offers corps members the opportunity to serve students in diverse and vibrant urban communities. The cities of Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington share histories of celebrated settlement and early industrialization. Today they are ripe with opportunity as new economic and cultural development have paved the way for dynamic initiatives and reform.
| Quick Stats |
|---|
| Site Since: 2003 |
| Corps Size: 350 |
| Average summer temperature: 75 ° Average winter temperature: 33 ° |
| Car: Some corps members live in areas where they can rely entirely on public transportation (subway, bus, regional rail), while others lives in communities where access to a car is essential. Bicycling and walking are popular modes of transportation too |
| Beginning teacher's salary: Philadelphia: $42,000 in school district of Philadelphia, $36,000-43,000 in charter schools Camden: $42,000-46,000 Wilmington: $34,000-38.000 |
Corps members assigned to Mid-Atlantic will receive their specific placement city once they are accepted, but can indicate during the application process if they have a strong preference to teach in Philadelphia, Camden, or Wilmington. With Philadelphia and Camden separated only by the Delaware River, and Wilmington only 30 miles to the southwest, it is easy for all Mid-Atlantic corps members to live in and access all three cities. The majority of corps members in this region teach in Philadelphia, the second largest city on the east coast and the sixth largest city in the country. Meanwhile, 19 corps members teach across the river in Camden, and for the first time in 2009, 22 are teaching in Wilmington as part of Teach For America’s Delaware corps.
Life: Philadelphia
Philadelphia's neighborhoods have much to offer: hip and trendy shops and restaurants in Northern Liberties, bustling Chinatown, farmers’ markets and parks in West Philadelphia, and exclusive shopping nestled next to beautiful Rittenhouse Square. There are seemingly unlimited arts and cultural offerings and a multitude of museums and performance venues with affordable admission costs.
In all parts of the city, corps members have a variety of affordable housing options. West Philadelphia, west of the Schuylkill River and home to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, is a diverse neighborhood where active block associations provide a sense of community. Corps members can choose to live together and rent a whole house.
In Center City, corps members can choose between larger apartment complexes and apartments in brownstone houses. Center City is home to terrific restaurants, theaters, gyms, and nightlife. In South Philadelphia, many corps members rent row homes or apartments.
Life: Camden
While the beaches and resorts of the Jersey Shore and beautiful hiking destinations are only a short drive away, the city of Camden itself is also in the midst of a major revitalization. State aid and private developers are investing in restaurants, museums, schools, hospitals, and university buildings. The success of this effort can be seen in a new light-rail system in the downtown area as well as a waterfront overlooking the Delaware River and Philadelphia skyline. The city of Camden houses several entertainment venues including the New Jersey State Aquarium and the Tweeter Center.
Corps members teaching in Camden have numerous housing options to choose from. Within the city itself, there is a plethora of diverse restaurants, and there are three huge shopping areas within a 10-mile radius. Corps members placed in Camden tend to live either in the city, its surrounding New Jersey suburbs, or Philadelphia.
Life: Wilmington
Due to the tremendous growth of the city in the 80s and 90s from the Financial Center Development Act, Wilmington is flourishing with things to do. Corps members take advantage of Wilmington’s beautiful gardens, fabulous mansions, unique museums, and numerous festivals, as well as a wide selection of performing arts and several nearby historic towns that retain their 17th- and 18th-century ambience.
Corps members teaching in Wilmington have numerous options for housing from downtown apartments to renting houses with friends in historic towns right outside the city. Most Wilmington corps members live right on Market Street close to the center of the city.
Corps Culture
The Mid-Atlantic corps is focused on student achievement and creates a strong sense of commitment and community among its members. Corps members meet monthly, in conjunction with their state’s respective university classes, for content-based learning teams facilitated primarily by Teach For America alumni. Corps members receive ongoing support their program director, learning teams, issues-based workshops specific to teacher needs, and all-corps meetings. Many corps members teach in schools with other corps members or alumni, who further provide them with support and guidance. The Teach For America • Mid-Atlantic regional program team is committed to creating a network of support for corps members to access, in addition to the network they create among themselves.
