Sam Wallis, executive director of Yonkers Partners in Education since 2019, has joined the Poughkeepsie-based Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. (HVEDC) Board of Directors.
A teacher by training and experience, Wallis began his work in education after graduating from Tufts University by joining Teach for America (TFA). He was placed in a struggling rural Mississippi Delta high school where he taught history and government. Recognizing the need for more equitable access to a college education, Wallis led a team of teachers that quadrupled the percentage of students enrolling in college after high school graduation. He earned his master’s degree in Public School Building Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College.
Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE) is a nonprofit organization that partners with students to ensure they are ready for, enroll in and complete college. “We confront the challenges of a low-income, underfunded school district ”“ the third largest in New York state ”“ by providing families with equitable access to the critical tools and services necessary for college success,” he said.
For 16 years, YPIE has been preparing thousands of students for success in college and the 21st century workforce and has forged deep ties with the community, the city leaders and the Yonkers Public Schools. YPIE currently provides college readiness, access and persistence services to 1,200 students per year.
