Emilio Solano, a 2012 graduate of the LMU/Teach For America Los Angeles Partnership program, was named a recipient of the 2014 TFA Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching. Solano teaches seventh and eighth grade history and ethnic studies at the Sandra Cisneros Campus of Camino Nuevo Charter Academy in Los Angeles.
“The award is a huge compliment and I feel so grateful for the acknowledgment,” said Solano. “But, in the end, I know the award is more than just a reflection of my work with my students but also represents to me the work that is still left to be done in my classroom, community and my own development.”
Teach For America lauded Solano for building “his school’s ethnic studies program to celebrate the culture and individuality of all students, engaging students in the importance of understanding and valuing their cultural past.” He was also recognized for “helping students tap into their unique identities, [fostering] higher confidence, poise, and increased academic success.”
Speaking about his experience at LMU, Solano said, “LMU was vital in providing the backbone of educational theory and practice that has directly impacted my classroom teaching.”
As Teach For America’s exclusive university partner in California, the LMU School of Education provides graduate training, mentoring and support for corps members in Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Jose. Founded in 2000, the LMU/TFA Partnership is one of the organization’s largest and most successful university partnerships in the country. Since 2009, more than 90 percent of LMU/TFA Partnership graduates have remained in education following their two-year commitment.
