Age:  29

Hometown: Hanover, Ind.

Education: University of Indiana, bachelor of science in sociology; New Teacher Project alternative certification

Profession: founding teacher, Akili Academy of New Orleans

After leaving the Hoosier State eight years ago to come to work in New Orleans, Julie Patterson is close to declaring a new home.

“I love my family. I love Indiana,” she said. “But I’m not there. I’m here.”

Patterson began establishing her Crescent City roots two years into her commitment to Teach for America. She had established relationships with students and families at Allen Fundamental Magnet School, where she taught first grade, and she bought a home after her second year in the city.

In June 2004, she moved to Teach for America’s office on Lee Circle and became the director of operations. When Hurricane Katrina ripped apart TFA’s presence in the city, Patterson assumed the responsibilities of program director to coordinate placement of teachers at various evacuation sites. Working through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, she traveled the state to keep corps members engaged in the TFA program.

“I knew Teach for America would be back in New Orleans,” she said. “What I didn’t know was whether that would be an easy or difficult road.”

It became a busy road. The TFA corps increased from 150 pre-storm members to nearly 400.

After coordinating the teacher flow and placement for another year, Patterson was ready to get back into the classroom. She obtained her alternative teacher certification and was part of the faculty that launched the McDonogh 15 KIPP Elementary in the fall of 2006.

After two years there, she became a founding first-grade teacher at Akiki Academy of New Orleans. Situated behind the storm-ravaged Francis Gregory Elementary campus off Paris Road, Akili Academy is housed a uniform cluster of modular buildings. It has only kindergarten and first-grade classes but will eventually grow to eighth grade and find a permanent home at the old Lawrence Crocker Elementary campus Uptown.

“There’s kind of a spotlight on New Orleans because of the charter movement,” Patterson said. “We can make it work using the resources made available to us after the storm, getting parents involved and understanding how a school connects with the community.”

What needs to change about New Orleans: There should be no reason our streets should be in the state of disrepair that they’re in.

The must-go places for out-of-towners: A po-boy at Parkway and to Bracato’s for gelato.

Favorite hangouts: Juan’s Flying Burrito, Cooter Brown’s and Carrollton Station.

Age:  29

Hometown: LaPorte, Texas

Education: Tulane University, bachelor of science in civil engineering

Profession: project manager, Corps of Engineers Hurricane Protection Office

You can figure out quickly that James Lancaster is a fixture at the Levee Dog Park. While launching a tennis ball to his German shepherd dogs, Jackson and Lafitte, after work recently, another owner’s mixed breed ran to him and offered a slobbery greeting. Lancaster knows this dog, and many others scurrying through the grass, by name.

The levee has been part of Lancaster's routine since late 2005. After networking among his fellow pet lovers, Lancaster launched an e-mail newsletter that he circulates to other regulars who bring their four-legged best friends to romp by the riverside.  “A lot of us here have really gotten to know one another,” he said. “It was a nice little respite from things after the storm.”

A break from the routine was what Lancaster needed following Hurricane Katrina. After returning to the city in October 2005, the Tulane-trained civil engineer went to work on a traffic signal restoration project for a private firm. His workweeks regularly reached 84 hours.
When the task was complete, Lancaster went to work as contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Hurricane Protection Office in the fall of 2007. As a project manager, he helps track the details of massive undertakings such as levee restoration, pump upgrades and floodgate construction.

“When I found out about the job, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to keep an eye on what was going on. This way, I can guarantee my stake is safe.”

Lancaster’s stake goes beyond his job and home. He is intent on improving the city he’s called home for the last 11 years. The Where Ya Rack project he helped craft through a Young Leadership Council program will help place bike racks around New Orleans.

He is also building a coalition to help engage voters his age in time for next year’s mayoral and City Council elections. Government transparency is key to the future of a prosperous New Orleans, he said.

“Whoever the next mayor is should open up everything and say, ‘Bobby Jindal, top this.’”
 
Favorite thing about New Orleans: The best thing about New Orleans is the worst thing about New Orleans. It’s history. Sometimes, we can’t get past it.

Favorite hangout: The Levee Dog Park

A good night out:Thursday at Les Bon Temps for Soul Rebels, and back the next night with the dogs.

Age: 26

Hometown: Champaign, Ill.

Education: Bachelor's degree in environmental policy, University of Minnesota

Position: Teach For All managing director of recruitment and selection resources

Law school was a backup option for Jack Carey until he spent two years with Teach For America at a South Bronx middle school. Instead, he wanted to share his experience with other students who wanted to make a difference in education.

From Chicago, Carey recruited TFA teachers from Midwest universities. To broaden his reach, he went to work as a recruitment manager for the global Teach For All effort.

After visiting New Orleans earlier this year, Carey relocated to the city in June with his teacher girlfriend and heads Teach For All's recruitment and selection department.

"What I love about New Orleans is that I've found a sense of community among people who care about education reform and social equity," Carey said.

"The way you lift people out of poverty is through quality education."

Carey's global duties took him to Mumbai, India, in September and South Africa earlier this year. With those experiences under his belt and a look at other major U.S. cities, he appreciates New Orleans' distinct differences.

"It seems to be a small community but also has the things you'd expect in a big city," he said. "I didn't realize how easy it would be to get around.

Favorite N.O. pastime: Starting the day with a bike ride and run at Audubon Park

Favorite hangout: Rue de la Course on Magazine Street, "They're good coffee people."

What needs to change: "Businesses need to connect with people in the nonprofit world so we can gain an understanding of what each side does."

Age: 29

Hometown: Lime Springs, Iowa

Education: Bachelor of fine arts, University of Iowa; master of science in teaching, Pace University; master of art therapy, Art Institute of Chicago

Position: Art therapist, New Orleans Museum of Art

People often cry when they hear about what Holly Wherry does for a living. It's not uncommon for her to encounter tears, anger and grief during her workday. As an art therapist for the New Orleans Museum of Art, Wherry has been placed in public schools to help students work their way through the trauma of Hurricane Katrina. She was just entering the master of art therapy program at the Art Institute of Chicago when the storm hit, making it clear where she would put her skills to use. "I knew that's where I had to be," Wherry said. "Three years later, there are many children who haven't talked about (Katrina)." A grant from the prefecture of Hyogo, Japan, allowed Wherry and fellow therapist Celeste Schexnaydre to begin a two-year art therapy program through NOMA that will run through May. A psychiatric research team from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center also provides support. When she first entered classrooms in New Orleans, Wherry said Katrina had sapped students' civic pride. "Children weren't proud to be from New Orleans. That was hard to hear," she said. "I started asking them about what they like about living here, and they came up with food, Mardi Gras and the Saints. They realized there was a lot to love about their city." Through art, children are allowed to express their feelings about Katrina. Their work is featured at NOMA. "I hate Hurricane Katrina so bad, I just wanted to draw this picture so I could get my anger out on her," explains one 8-year-old artist. Wherry said she sees the need to continue her work beyond its current grant period and hopes to network with other at therapists. Ultimately, she envisions leading a graduate level art therapy program at a New Orleans university.

Favorite New Orleans tradition: "I love Mardi Gras more than I love anything … and the artistic culture."

New Orleans' best-kept secret: "The way New Orleans celebrates everything. I was living in Algiers and there was a party to celebrate the ferry restarting. A priest blessed the ferry, and everyone said 'amen' and 'cheers.'"

What needs to change: Better public transportation and more vegetarian restaurants.