Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Sam earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Her passion for improving public schools took root when she became the policy research assistant for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. There she learned first-hand the tremendously positive impact a mentor can have on a child—a lesson that evolved naturally into the question, “What type of impact could a passionate teacher have on the life of a student?”
The very next year Sam joined Teach For America’s Houston corps and proudly taught first grade students at Alexander Elementary for four years before serving another year at YES Prep as the special education coordinator for the North Central Campus. Sam eventually realized that she needed additional training to fulfill her dream of having a broader impact in the education reform movement. In particular she recognized the need for educators and leaders who could use data to drive decision-making and the value of teacher’s voices in policy development. So Sam moved to Ann Arbor, Mich., to attend University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.
During her time in graduate school Sam had the pleasure of working at the Indiana Department of Education as a PALI Fellow and at Teach For America as an Education Pioneer Fellow. Sam also served as the vice-chair of APPLE, the Ford School’s education policy group. She recently moved to Central New Jersey, with her Chihuahua, Checkers, to be closer to her family
I aspire to be like Sonia Sotomayor. Here’s why:
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor embodies resilience, grace and commitment in the face of adversity—the very characteristics we need to demonstrate as advocates in the movement to close the achievement gap.
Every day I have the pleasure—and the privilege—of working with passionate advocates, politicians and community leaders to gather research and craft solutions about how to effectively to close New Jersey’s achievement gap.
I attended public schools until eighth grade, but my options for high school were limited. I was accepted to the Oliver Scholars Program, which places students of color in independent schools across the East Coast. I was also accepted to a magnet school in New York City—but I would have needed to travel nearly two hours a day on the train and bus to make it to class. With an open mind I left my family and attended Westtown Friends, a Quaker boarding school in Pennsylvania. The support from dedicated faculty members at Westtown allowed me to develop as a leader, taught me the value of community service and deeply influenced my own teaching practice.
I feel like a technological dinosaur, but I can’t keep up with social media—whether it’s Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
The Supreme Court banned segregation in public schools in 1954 with its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, yet in 2013 many schools remain segregated based on the color of ours kids’ skin and their parents income level. This photograph underscores both our progress as a nation and how much farther we need to go to fulfill our civic promises. A child’s ZIP code should not determine their fate. Access to high-quality education is a right, and we must advocate relentlessly for policies that will promote equity in our public school systems.