When Miguel Solis heard in his political science class that young people weren’t voting, he was determined to change things. He began organizing youth for the Obama campaign in 2008 and was even chosen to give an introductory speech for Michelle Obama.

Obama’s focus on education motivated Miguel to apply to TFA, where his students proved that anything is possible if you work hard and have access to a great education. His class went from struggling to outperforming all middle schools on the 8th-grade Texas state exams.

After advocating for Dallas students as special assistant to the superintendent and as Dallas director for Stand For Children, Miguel became the youngest person to be elected school board president at 28. He continues to dedicate his career to supporting Dallas students and families.

Q & A

What skills developed in the corps have been most important throughout your career?

Backwards planning—starting with a big goal and then working backward to develop a plan to get there—has been so important. Learning what motivates people and then investing them in your plans. Teaching can be very similar to working with board members or those in politics.

How has Teach For America influenced your career path?

It changed my life forever. It committed me to improving outcomes for students. It made me understand that education influences every other issue our country deals with. No matter what I do, education will be a component because it is critical to our future.