Eliza Eaton, Daniel Kahn and Sarah Broome all came to Baton Rouge for Teach for America. Once their TFA tenure ended, they stuck around, and they are making major waves in the Baton Rouge area with the projects they are currently working on.
Teach for America alumna Eliza Eaton stands with her viola at the Kids' Orchestra office on Thurs., Jan, 5, 2012. Eaton is the program manager for Kids' Orchestra. The program establishes after school music lessons for diverse children in the Baton Rouge area. (Photo by Erin Parker / inRegister)
I first met Eliza when I visited Kids’ Orchestra for the first time last year. I was pleased to be working with her again, as she was kind and uber-helpful on my first assignment with her. Eliza and other workers with Kids’ Orchestra are teaching students of all ages to play various instruments and empowering them through this.
We met at the Kids’ Orchestra office for her portraits, and she pulled out her viola, an instrument she has been playing for years. I thought this portrait was stunning.
Teach for America alumnus Daniel Kahn sits on the porch of the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition House in downtown Baton Rouge on Thurs., Jan, 5, 2012. Kahn founded the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition after three years with Teach for America. (Photo by Erin Parker / inRegister)
I’d never met Daniel Kahn before this assignment, but I’ve heard his name a lot more after it. Daniel Kahn founded the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition after noticing many of his students could get into universities, but they lacked exposure to the college application process. Kahn and his team are working to help empower teens to drive their own futures through this.
We met at the BRYC House in downtown Baton Rouge for his portraits, and I particularly loved this portrait of Daniel on the front porch swing.
Teach for America alumna Sarah Broome sits inside the Teach for America offices in downtown Baton Rouge on Thurs., Jan, 5, 2012. Broome taught for three years in Baton Rouge, and was compelled to start THRIVE after one of her students died in a fatal stabbing offsite. (Photo by Erin Parker / inRegister)
Sarah Broome is the last TFA alum I worked with for this story, and we met at the Teach for America offices here in Baton Rouge. Broome is the founder of THRIVE, a public boarding school for at-risk students. Broome drafted the residential charter school, which would allow students to live in a highly focused, local boarding school environment during week, and spend the weekends with their families at home.
After talking a bit, we walked around the building to find the optimal spot for her portrait. I’m particularly loving this portrait, shot against the window next to her desk.
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To read more about Teach for America alumni who are making a difference in the Baton Rouge educational scene, check out February’s edition of inRegister.
