Thirty-five years ago, Teach For America (TFA) began its journey in six regions across the country, including Eastern North Carolina. Today, TFA operates in over 50 regions nationwide. While much has changed in education, but our unwavering commitment to students and communities remains constant.

In 1990, TFA launched in North Carolina with a focus on the rural, eastern part of the state. That year, 23 corps members began their leadership journeys in the Triangle and Eastern North Carolina. This effort was met with bipartisan support from notable leaders, including Governor Roy Cooper (D- North Carolina), who helped bring TFA to North Carolina in the early 1990s as a member of the state legislature, and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and then NC House Speaker, now U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R- North Carolina), who championed TFA’s 2014 expansion.

By 2002, we transitioned from the "North Carolina region" to the Eastern North Carolina region, preparing for broader statewide expansion. In 2004, after years of dedicated work in Eastern North Carolina, we launched the Charlotte region with placements exclusively in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. In 2014, we expanded again to the Piedmont Triad region, placing corps members in Guilford County Schools. By 2018, we merged the Charlotte and Piedmont Triad regions, forming the Charlotte-Piedmont Triad region we know today.

In 2021, Teach For America North Carolina united as a statewide region with the appointment of our first-ever statewide Executive Director. This new approach enabled us to strengthen our impact and continue to impact our pillar communities across the state, including the Triangle region. As we continue to grow, our commitment to ensuring an excellent education for all students in North Carolina remains at the forefront of our mission.

Over the years, TFA North Carolina has trained and developed more than 4,200 first-year teachers, positively impacting over 250,000 students statewide. To retain exceptional leaders in classrooms, we’ve launched initiatives like the Reinvesting In Student Excellence (RISE) Fellowship to cultivate and support strong TFA alumni teacher leaders. Our work is further amplified through strategic partnerships with schools, local businesses, and community organizations, all working toward a shared vision of an excellent education for all children. 

This year, as we celebrate 35 years of impact, we reflect on our legacy and look ahead with hope. Over the next decade, we aim to deepen our influence and continue transforming educational opportunities for students across North Carolina.