Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge

We are thrilled to welcome our 2026 corps members into the Greater Baton Rouge community. At our welcome dinner, corps members heard from leaders across the education ecosystem who shared about progress happening across our region, the responsibility of serving students well, and the power of partnership in shaping stronger outcomes for kids.

Thank you to Monique Scott-Spaulding, Dr. Noemi Donoso, Superintendent LaMont Cole, and Gelisa Patin (TFA GBR 2018 alum) for pouring into this incoming corps and helping set the tone for the journey ahead. We were also grateful for the chance to gather with supporters, alumni, and representatives from our sponsors at Entergy Louisiana, PSC Group Helping Hands Foundation, and Associated Grocers Baton Rouge.

Thank you to the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report for generously donating ad space to help us celebrate 35 years of Teach For America in Greater Baton Rouge.

This special ad highlights both the scale and heart of our work, honoring over 170,000 students whose futures have been shaped over the past 35 years as well as the educators, high-dosage tutors, and leaders who continue to build brighter opportunities for children across our region.

We’re especially grateful to share this milestone with our community as we reflect on the past, present, and launch into the future, as our community is accelerating what is possible for students.

Thank you, Baton Rouge Business Report, for helping us honor this moment and invite our community to be part of what’s next.

Please join us in congratulating Michael Tipton on being named the recipient of the 2026 Community Leadership Alumni Award from Leadership Baton Rouge Alumni!

Michael has been a meaningful part of the Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge story for many years. A proud New York City 2005 corps alum, he went on to serve as Executive Director of TFA GBR, helping lead and strengthen our region’s impact. Today, he continues to invest in our community as a member of the TFA GBR Emeritus Board.

Before joining the Louisiana Blue Foundation in 2015, Michael’s leadership helped shape opportunities for students and communities across Greater Baton Rouge, and his continued service reflects the very best of values-driven leadership.

We’re grateful for Michael’s lasting impact and proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition. Congratulations, Michael!

🧬🗺️🚁 A HUGE thank you to CF Industries for THREE incredible demonstrations at TFA GBR STEM Day at Lowery Middle School in Donaldsonville, including Strawberry DNA Extraction, Louisiana Edible Geography, and Flying Drones! With 100% of students more confident in STEM, students learned the value of patience and mindset while mastering drone controls, that all living things have DNA, discovered Louisiana's unique landscapes, and explored technology hands-on. Students are now excited about careers from software engineering to storm chasing! 🌟

Louisiana is making historic gains in reading with 4th grade NAEP results moving from 42nd to 16th nationwide, but there’s still more work to do. That’s why we’re proud to lift up the Capital Area Literacy Network letter to the editor calling on lawmakers to keep investing in what’s working for kids.

The letter highlights key priorities that can help build on this momentum: stronger coordination around foundational literacy, expanded support for grades 4–8, more access to high-dosage tutoring, and more books in the hands of young readers. These are the kinds of investments that help more students thrive.

We’re grateful to be a part of the Capital Area Literacy Network and to all of the partners working for a stronger literacy future in Louisiana. Read the published letter and join us in supporting efforts that help more students become confident readers.

Read the letter here: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/letters-legislature-education-bills/article_ec98673a-6f7c-51bc-912a-5dc9e666ebf9.html

Letters: Legislature can help build on La.’s gains in education Students in Louisiana are making historic gains in reading proficiency as we celebrate moving from 42nd in fourth grade NAEP results to 16th nationwide. Still, too many students are not

We’re celebrating a strong showing from the TFA Greater Baton Rouge network at the Urban Leadership Development Initiative (ULDI) this year.

Last night, Kendrick Henson (GBR ’22) graduated from ULDI, Briauna Williams (GBR ’23) was inducted into the newest cohort, and Taylor Anderson (GBR ’16) helped lead programming as a member of the ULDI Alumni Board.

Led by MetroMorphosis, ULDI is a year-long leadership experience that equips community changemakers with the tools and knowledge to strengthen their practice and help build stronger communities. We’re grateful for Kendrick, Briauna, and Taylor’s commitment to growth, service, and leadership in Baton Rouge.

We’re proud to celebrate Jennie Reilly, TFA GBR Emeritus Board Member, on being named a recipient of the 2026 Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award, the school’s highest honor recognizing graduates who have made significant contributions in business and society.

Jennie’s career has been defined by a commitment to service, civic leadership, and social innovation. From cofounding City Year and Echoing Green to helping build transformative partnerships in Baton Rouge as a Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge board member, her work reflects a deep belief in the power of community.

One quote from the article especially stood out to us: “People genuinely want to come together with shared passion and purpose to advance valuable and sustainable impact.” That conviction has shaped Jennie’s leadership for decades, and we’re grateful for the many ways her vision and partnership have strengthened our community.

Read more here: https://www.hbs.edu/news/releases/Pages/2026-alumni-achievement-awards.aspx