AUSTIN ALLAIN

I was a late decider and didn’t decide to become a teacher until the beginning of my senior year. I turned to teaching because of one of my middle school teachers. My seventh grade English teacher had a significant impact on my life. We remain friends today and even though he is far away he continues to influences me to become a better student, teacher and person. I wanted to have this same profound influence on kid’s lives.

As I looked at my options, Teach Kentucky seemed like an appealing alternative, but I was tentative about moving to a place with hardly any friends. As a Boston native, the thought of going to Kentucky had never crossed my mind. I was apprehensive about starting a new career in a new city.

Ultimately, I decided to attend their recruitment weekend. The weekend relieved my apprehension. Louisville contains the most incredible group of people I have ever met. Everyone from the W&L alumni supporting the program, to the teachers that were a year ahead, to folks on the street were warm and welcoming. I became convinced that this was a group deeply committed to making education better in Louisville and supporting us as new teachers.

Likewise, my move to Kentucky has been just as positive as the weekend. People are always ready to help. Whether it is help with house hunting, medical advice, or even getting my car jumped in the pouring rain, I have an extensive network of people I can call. This is especially true with my teaching. This first year is very difficult, but there are always four or five people I can rely on after a bad day to share advice or just provide a shoulder to lean on. My peers are great too. We regularly support each other. The best part is we have a common set of experiences and when one of us is down the others consistently pick them up.

In the end, Louisville is on the upswing. There are an infinite number of places to eat and a great scene for people our age. I can’t compare Teach Kentucky to other programs, but based on my experience, I can’t picture a better arrangement to start my teaching career. I am really glad I came--it is the perfect place for me.