Relentless Pursuit: A Year in the Trenches with Teach for America

When Locke High School opened its doors in 1967, the residents of Watts celebrated it as a sign of the changes promised by Los Angeles. But four decades later, first-year Teach for America recruits Rachelle, Phillip, Hrag, and Taylor are greeted by a school that looks more like a prison, with bars, padlocks, and chains all over.

With little training and experience, these four will be asked to produce academic gains in students who are among the most disadvantaged in the country. Relentless ...