Western’s Huxley College Speaker Series to Host Justin Yan and Allison Schreuder Jan. 13

Contact: Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment at (360) 650-3520.

BELLINGHAM – Justin Yan and Allison Schreuder of Teach for America will present "Providing Science Education to Bridge the Academic Achievement Gap" as part of Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment Speaker Series at noon on Friday, Jan. 13 in Academic West room 304 on the Western campus. 

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Less than 8 percent of children who grow up in poverty graduate from college.  The academic achievement gap between students of low-income versus affluent backgrounds is growing wider still.  Teach for America works to end educational inequity by recruiting outstanding college graduates, from all majors, to teach for two years in low-income communities.  The nonprofit organization particularly seeks strong math and science majors, to help students in subject areas where performance tends to be weakest. 

In their presentation, Schreuder and Yan will discuss the growing socioeconomic academic achievement gap, how Teach for America works to bridge that gap, and opportunities for Western students and the surrounding community to work with Teach for America.

Yan, the Northwest region director of recruitment, is a Teach for America alumni who worked for two years in a 6th grade science classroom in Charlotte, N.C. Schreuder, the Western campus campaign coordinator for Teach for America, is a WWU senior, majoring in Mathematics.

Anyone interested in this topic is encouraged to come and participate; the presentation will include a question-and-answer period.  The speaker series is held by Western's Huxley College of the Environment to bring together the environmentally minded community and other interested members of the WWU and Bellingham communities.  Speakers address topics of contemporary environmental concern in the region and the world.

For more information, please contact the main office of Huxley College of the Environment, at (360) 650-3520.

Western’s Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized national leader in producing the next generation of environmental stewards. The College’s academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical, biological, social and cultural world.  This innovative and interdisciplinary approach makes Huxley unique. The College has earned international recognition for the quality of its programs.