Meet the 2019 Teach for America Detroit Alumni Fellows

Meenakshi Mukherjee

Davison Elementary-Middle School

Grade 8

Detroit ‘13

Meet Meenakshi Mukherjee! California native, Meenakshi is an eighth grade English and social studies teacher Davison Elementary School on Detroit’s east side. She has been teaching in Detroit for 7 years at both district and charter schools. In 2013, after graduating from University of California-Riverside with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Religious Studies, Meenakshi joined Teach For America-Detroit Corps, teaching fourth grade English and social studies at Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts.

In 2015, Meenakshi obtained a master’s degree in educational studies with a focus on urban pedagogy from the University of Michigan. After that, she taught fourth grade English at Lighthouse Academy in Southwest Detroit.

Brian Peck

Osborn Academy of Mathematics

Grade 9-12

Detroit ‘13

Meet Brian Peck! Brian Peck is a native of Warren, Michigan who teaches Spanish at Osborn High School on Detroit’s east side. In 2008, after graduating from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and urban studies, he worked in a youth development program in Belize City, Belize.

Upon returning to Detroit in 2011, Brian joined for Teach for America-Detroit Corps to pursue his teaching certification in Spanish and social studies. He was placed at Osborn High School and has been there for seven years. Brian currently serves as a union representative for the Detroit Federation of Teachers. In 2016, he obtained a master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan.

Michael Chrzan

The School at Marygrove

Grade 9

Detroit ‘16

Meet Michael Chrzan! Michael, native Detroiter, serves as a secondary mathematics teacher at the School at Marygrove on Detroit’s west side. In 2016, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education, he joined the Teach For America-Detroit Corps. As an alumnus of the University of Michigan, Michael credits his desire to teach and his love for mathematics to his parents and a program in Detroit known as Math Corps, where he taught math to rising seventh through ninth grade students.

Michael is the winner of the inaugural Teach for America – Teacher Leadership Award. He plans on remaining a classroom teacher for the foreseeable future and is excited and humbled to play a key role in his city’s resurgence.

Andrew Dahm

Academy of the Americas

Twin Cities ‘10

Meet Andrew Dahm! Andrew is a bilingual teacher who has been teaching for nine years in Dual Immersion Schools. During his first eight years of teaching in Minneapolis Public Schools, Andrew taught fourth and fifth grade students, where he provided instructions in both Spanish and English.

Andrew is working to complete a master’s degree in teaching and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Spanish studies. He’s excited to continue the next stage of his teaching career and begin his second year in Detroit Public Schools Community District at the Academy of the Americas on Detroit’s west side.

Melanie Wiggins

Brenda Scott Academy

Grade 3

Detroit ‘14

Meet Melanie Wiggins! Melanie serves as a third grade math teacher at Brenda Scott Academy on the east side of Detroit. Prior to this role, she taught third and fifth grade students in Southwest Detroit for five years. In 2014, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Georgia, Melanie moved to Detroit to join the Teach For America Corps.

In 2018, Melanie obtained a master’s degree in urban pedagogy from the University of Michigan. When she's not teaching, Melanie loves watching college football, playing board games, and spending time with her niece and nephew.

Lily Friedman

University Prep Art and Design Middle school

Grade 6-7

Baltimore ‘14

Meet Lily Friedman! Lily serves as a learning specialist at University Preparatory Art & Design Middle School. Prior to this, she was a fourth grade special educator at KIPP Harmony Academy Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland for three years. She also served as an elementary school science teacher in Baltimore for two years.


In 2011, three years before joining Teach For America- Baltimore Corps, Lily graduated with her bachelors’ degree in psychology and German at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. As a Teach for America corps member in Baltimore, she served her hometown community and earned a master’s degree in education from Johns Hopkins University.

Alexandra BuWaldaJalen Rose Leadership AcademyGrade 11-12Chicago ‘11Meet Alexandra BuWalda Alexandra teaches Chemistry and AP Chemistry at Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) on the west side of Detroit, where she also serves as the eleventh grade …

Alexandra BuWalda

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

Grade 11-12

Chicago ‘11

Meet Alexandra BuWalda Alexandra teaches Chemistry and AP Chemistry at Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) on the west side of Detroit, where she also serves as the eleventh grade lead teacher. In 2011, after graduating from Cornell University and earning a bachelor’s degree in science, Alexandra joined the Teach for America-Chicago/Northwest Indiana Corps.

Alexandra taught science to junior high school students in Hammond, Indiana for one year. During year-two, she taught Biology and Response to Intervention at Amandla Charter School in Englewood, Illinois. While in Illinois, she obtained a master’s degree in the art of teaching from Dominican University.


Regina Weiss

Ben Carson High School

Detroit ‘11

Meet Regina Weiss! Regina serves as a world history, debate and Detroit history teacher at Ben Carson High School of Science and Medicine on the east side of Detroit for three years. In 2011, two years after graduating from Valparaiso University with a bachelor’s degree in History and education, she moved to Detroit to join the region’s Corps. Prior to that, from 2009 to 2011, she ran a high school service-learning program with City Year Seattle/King County. In 2017, Regina was elected to Oak Park City Council, where she currently serves in her first term. Regina lives in Oak Park, Michigan with her husband, Laren.

Sarah Reno

University Prep Academy High School

Grade 9-12

Miami-Dade ‘11

Meet Sarah Reno! Sarah is a Spanish teacher at University Prep Academy High School on the east side of Detroit. In 2011, after graduating from the University of Michigan with bachelors’ degrees in history and Spanish, she moved to Miami, Florida to join the Teach For America Corps. Sarah also taught ninth grade world history for three years at Miami Norland Senior High.

Sarah believes that foreign language acquisition is a key component for students becoming global minded thinkers and doers. She is looking forward to pulling from her past experiences as she engages thoughtfully and intentionally with other members of the Detroit Alumni Educator Fellowship.

Darius Whiteside

Henderson Academy

Grade 5

Detroit ‘16

Meet Darius Whiteside! Darius is currently in his fourth year of teaching fifth grade social studies and science at Henderson Elementary School on Detroit’s west side. In 2003, after earning a full scholarship and playing college basketball at Gambling State University, he obtained his bachelor’s degree in mass communications. After that, Darius worked with a telecommunication company for nearly 10 years. In 2016, he joined Teach For America-Detroit Corps, working to provide students a quality education and helping to close the academic achievement gap. Darius also obtained his master’s degree in sports administration from Grambling State University.

Rebecca Vogelezang

New Paradigm Loving Academy

Grade 3

Detroit ‘15

Meet Rebecca Vogelezang! Rebecca serves as a third grade teacher at New Paradigm Loving Academy on the east side of Detroit. In 2015, two years after graduating from George Fox University with a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication, she joined the Teach For America-Detroit Corps. Rebecca still teaches at her placement school in the city, marking her fifth year in the classroom.

In 2018-2019, her students met 165% of their projected growth in math. Rebecca is the school's Chair of Cooperative Culture, which focuses on positive behavior incentives and interventions for students. She believes that education should be centered on meaningful, positive relationships with students.

Ryen Odom

Detroit Prep

Grade 2

Detroit ‘15

Meet Ryen Odom! Ryen, a native Detroiter and proud product of Detroit Public Schools Community District, serves as a second grade lead teacher at Detroit Prep, on Detroit’s east side. In 2014, after graduating from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and women’s studies, Ryen joined Teach for America and taught seventh grade science in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

As she embarks on her 6th year teaching, she is excited to continue inspiring students to achieve anything they put their minds to and growing professionally. Ryen holds a master’s degree in education focused on community health from Wayne State University and is currently finishing up an Education Specialist Certificate in Administration and Supervision K-12.


 

Katie O’Donnell

Detroit Achievement Academy

Grade Kindergarten

Detroit ‘12

Meet Katie O’Donnell! Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Katie is a kindergarten teacher at Detroit Achievement Academy on the west side of Detroit. In 2012, after graduating from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in English and sociology, she joined the Teach For America-Detroit Corps and was placed at Burns Elementary School on the west side of Detroit. Katie also earned a master’s degree in urban education focused on urban pedagogy from the University of Michigan in 2014.

Over the past eight years, Katie has taught kindergarten, first, second and fourth grade students. During the 2017-18 academic year, her kindergarten students performed in the 99th and 95th percentiles for national growth on NWEA MAP Reading and Math Assessments.