Good morning ladies and gentleman. My name is Pamela Cassell. I am an AmeriCorps member serving in Teach for America in Memphis, Tennessee. I believe a quality education is not only for the most privileged in our society but rather a right for all, which is why if left my job with Deloitte as an auditor to become a teacher. As a child of conflict, I endured many setbacks in my education. Liberia's 14-year civil war left me without any formal education for more than a year. After immigrating to the United States, I was blessed to have teachers that cared enough about my learning to make it a priority. Their selfless efforts enabled me to succeed. Today, I help provide a quality education for students just like myself. Although, my students may not be in a civil war in a developing country, they are still fighting to survive a different kind of war in their urban communities. I am Pamela Cassell. I am an AmeriCorps member, a proud American, and I am one of one million.