Brian Hawkins and Robbie Pollack have been named “Teacher of the Month” at their respective schools.  Brian teaches ninth grade English at Murrah High School in Jackson.  Robbie teaches tenth grade English at North Panola High School in Sardis.

“We’re very proud of Brian and Robbie,” said Ben Guest, Program Manager of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.  “Both are in my mentoring group and talking with them each week I’ve been impressed with what they have accomplished.”

“Brian has really taken it upon himself to be a role-model for these kids,” said Mr. Guest.  “Having grown up in a pretty tough area of New York City he’s aware of the challenges that these kids face.”

“Brian has that passion for teaching that we look for,” said Dr. Germain McConnell, the Co-Director the Teacher Corps.

“Robbie is one of our long line of distinguished St. John’s College grads who have served in the Teacher Corps,” said Mr. Guest.  “St. John’s is a great books program and Robbie brings a lot of that sensibility.  He addresses his students as ‘Mr.’ and ‘Ms.’  Robbie has done some innovative things with classroom management.  Furthermore, he is living in Sardis and is becoming a part of the community.”

“Robbie is constantly coming up with better ways to do things,” said Ann Monroe, one of the instructors for both the summer and fall classes.  “He is serious about making instruction meaningful.”

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is the most competitive alternate-route teaching program in the country. It is a two-year program that recruits recent college graduates to teach in critical-shortage areas in the Mississippi Delta, in exchange for a full scholarship for a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Mississippi. The program was founded in 1989 by Amy Gutman, a Harvard University graduate student, and Dr. Andy Mullins, then Special Assistant to the State Superintendent of Education. Since 1989 more than 300 participants, reaching an estimated 60,000 students, have taught in critical-needs school districts as part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.

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