CORNING, NY | Corning Incorporated | August 15, 2022

Corning Incorporated, in partnership with North Carolina’s Edgecombe County Public Schools (ECPS), today announced that Diego Alonso-Galindo, senior at Edgecombe Early College High School, is the 2022 recipient of the Edge for Tomorrow Future Teachers Grant. The grant, sponsored by Corning’s Office of Racial Equality and Social Unity, is part of ECPS’s Scholar Teachers Program, which supports graduating Edgecombe County students who are entering the field of education.

Early College High School students take both high school and college courses and finish their studies with both a high school diploma and an associate degree. The Scholars Teachers Program is a grow-your-own teacher initiative designed to help the Edgecombe County school district recruit diverse, high-quality teachers. The goal of the program is to bring 50 diverse high school students back to the local community over the next 10 years to teach in classrooms where 70% of students are non-white.

“Diego believes strongly that great teachers are change agents for the children and families they serve,” said Matt Smith, principal, Edgecombe Early College High School. “He is deeply committed to making a difference in our Edgecombe community and has already completed over 200 hours of internships working in local elementary schools before even beginning his teacher prep program at N.C. State. His passion for teaching children will make an incredible impact on the trajectory of their lives.”

Alonso-Galindo, 19, will attend North Carolina State University (NC State), where he plans to study middle school STEM education. After graduation, Alonso-Galindo will return to teach at a school in Edgecombe County.  

High school seniors in ECPS’s Scholar Teachers Program are eligible to apply for the Edge for Tomorrow Future Teachers Grant. Recipients are selected based on their academic achievement, desire to further their education in the field of teaching, and commitment to return to Edgecombe County after college.

"So many students go to college and head off to teach elsewhere,” said Millicent Ruffin, director, Community Affairs, ORESU. “Partnering with Early College High School to secure them a job in their local school districts ensures they bring that talent back to the community."

Alonso-Galindo says he feels especially inspired to come back and teach in a community in which many students and their parents speak English as a second language.

“Growing up, I never really saw any teachers that looked like me,” said Alonso-Galindo, who is a first-generation Mexican-American. “Being able to come back to Tarboro, I can be a lighthouse for students who are in the same situation that I was in.”

About Corning’s Commitment to School Diversity
As part of its mission, Corning’s Office of Racial Equality and Social Unity (ORESU) helps facilitate equal access to opportunity, educational attainment, and safety for groups that have been institutionally disadvantaged at work, in society, and at pivotal points in their lives. To help achieve that mission, ORESU’s three pillars of focus are: Education, Economic Growth and Healthcare Advocacy. Support for the Edge for Tomorrow Future Teachers Grant is part of this mission. It reflects Corning’s ongoing commitment to helping create school diversity in the communities where Corning’s employees live, work, and raise their families.

More information about the Scholar Teachers Program and available scholarships is available here. Information about Corning’s Office of Racial Equality and Social Unity can be found here.

About Corning Incorporated
Corning (www.corning.com) is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, with a more than 170-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramic science, and optical physics along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people's lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries. Corning's capabilities are versatile and synergistic, which allows the company to evolve to meet changing market needs, while also helping its customers capture new opportunities in dynamic industries. Today, Corning's markets include optical communications, mobile consumer electronics, display, automotive, solar, semiconductors, and life sciences.

About Edgecombe County Public Schools
Edgecombe County Public Schools (ECPS) serve the educational needs of more than 5,400 students in grades Pre-K through 12 with the mission of graduating students ready to achieve success in a rapidly changing world. ECPS is committed to educational equity and ensuring that opportunities are not limited by social, cultural, or economic factors.