The increase didn't just happen because of me,” said Ms. Polay.  “There is another Algebra I teacher in the building and he deserves a lot of the credit as well.  I will say though that it really took a lot of creativity.  I had a lot of remedial students who had taken the class at least one time before.  They'd seen all the material, but still couldn't pass the test for any number of reasons.  I had to do my best to come up with new and different ways to present Algebra I to kids who were used to failing and I had to find a way to get them excited about coming to class.  I think that is what makes the difference.  If you can get a child excited about learning, then they will want to be in your class and they will learn so much more.”

(South Delta High School)

“We are very happy and impressed with the job that Elizabeth has done,” said Dr. Andy Mullins, the Co-Director of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.  “This is just another example of the impact on student achievement that our teachers can have.”

South Delta High School is in Rolling Fork, MS, a town of about 4,000 people located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta.  According to the 2000 Census, 21% of households in Rolling Fork make less than $10,000.  99% of the student body is on free or reduced lunch.

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is the most competitive teaching program in the country. The two-year program, designed for non-education majors, recruits college graduates to teach in the Mississippi Delta and offers a host of benefits, including teacher training and certification, a full scholarship for a master's degree in education, job placement that includes full pay and benefits and, most importantly, the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students in one of the poorest areas of the country.