Someone told Keona she couldn’t go to college, but she wants others to know that they can.

“People would say the only reason I’d get into college is because I’m a minority, or that I wouldn’t do anything with my life,” said Walker, an English major who came from an inner city school in Youngstown. “I don’t want other students to go through that stereotype because once you hear something you start to believe it.”

Walker, who is a campus coordinator for Teach for America, knew she wanted to get involved with the organization when she heard about the cause.

Teach for America, started in 1990, is a two-year program that employs recent college graduates as teachers in inner city schools.

“Wendy Kopp began [the organization] as her senior thesis at Princeton,” said Scott Fry, a political science major and campus coordinator for Teach for America. “She wanted a way for graduated college students to do something meaningful and responsible.”

Last year 112 Ohio State students applied to the program, but this year application has increased by 176 percent. Fry said the increased interest in the program is a result of heavy advertising and political backing.

“Now with 177 schools supporting Teach for America, and Barack Obama and John McCain speaking about it in their campaign debates, students are more interested in becoming apart of the program, and would rather wait to be apart of corporate America and give back instead,” Fry said.

Although the application process is simple, requiring only biographical information and two essays, the organization is selective.

“We want people that are leaders,” Walker said. “Although grades are important, these inner city students need a leader to look up to for inspiration.”

Though the program is selective, students are not competing against each other for a fixed number of positions, Fry said.

“If you have 50 qualified people, you take all 50,” she said. “You are going against no one but yourself.”

Students who participate in the program receive a teaching certificate and $10,000 in scholarships to use toward graduate school or to pay off loans.

Students who are accepted to the program have a choice of 29 locations in which to teach, including Chicago, Boston, New York, Los Angeles and Miami.

Courter Shimeall, who taught at a middle school in Los Angeles for Teach for America, said his work was challenging, but rewarding.

“I had a student named Keynay who was difficult at the beginning of the year,” Shimeall said.

“He wasn’t a good reader so I took it upon myself to speak to him and his family before and after school, and at the end of the year he was reading at a third grade reading level.”

Shimeall said his students gave him the drive to work his hardest.

“There were a lot of challenging days and it was challenging in general,” Shimeall said.

“You should go into it with an open mind and be confident in yourself. Don’t take anything for granted, because a lot of kids are relying on you. You will work harder than you’ve ever worked.”

The application deadline for Teach for America is Feb. 13. Students can apply online, and more information is available at teachforamerica.org.

Kelli Gardner can be reached at [email protected].