After more than 50 years of educational reform, the academic achievement gap still exists. Even with excellent teachers and great administrators, students must be motivated to learn. Our nation’s most disadvantaged students face everything from poverty and homelessness to struggling schools and communities. Our educators face more students, less resources, and insufficient support, yet we expect them to teach, motivate, and guide our most disadvantaged children. Yet, we have placed the responsibility for motivating these students on one person – the teacher. If we are to realize the dream of educational equity, we must provide educators with trusted individuals committed to inspiring, motivating, and guiding students.

National Coaching Fellows can be the catalyst of change. Our corps members use athletics to inspire, motivate, guide, and support their student-athletes. Every day they work relentlessly to exceed the traditional expectations of athletic coaches by providing direct academic and personal support. Our corps members are committed to empowering students, thereby, enabling educators to close the academic achievement gap. Given that approximately 47% of all secondary school students participate in school athletics, National Coaching Fellows is poised to make a systemic impact on students from high-needs communities.