I thought it might be interesting to share why we came to YES either as new teachers or as experienced teachers who were excited to teach at a charter school.

I came to YES after teaching for two years as part of Teach for America. I saw that I could make some differences in my classroom, but the idea of teaching at a school where every teacher and administrator was working towards the same goal was incredibly appealing. I didn't want to be an island at a school--I wanted to work somewhere with colleagues who would challenge me and push me to become a better teacher.

I loved the fact that YES is constantly trying to become better and is never scared of new things, and I was really excited to be at a school where my voice would be heard and where my opinion mattered.

How about the rest of you? What led you to YES?