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Jenna Korobow, a recent theater alumna, had been on stage many times, but nothing could have prepared her for her post-graduate debut: teaching the first grade.

“First-graders are not tall but they could really scare the heck out of me,” said Korobow of her first day teaching summer school in Philadelphia last year. “They could tear you down in a second with just a look.”

For Korobow, applying to Teach for America was not something she had initially planned on doing.

Working for service organizations such as Bruin Corps and Upward Bound throughout her UCLA career, all Korobow knew was that she wanted to continue her service in low-income communities.

“As the year went on with Bruin Corps, it really inspired me to join Teach for America,” said Korobow, who is originally from Long Island, New York. “(At) the end of college, that’s definitely what I wanted to be involved in.”

Though Korobow remembers feeling intimidated by children during her first days in the classroom, she said the TFA training program she attended in Philadelphia was nothing short of encouraging.

“Teach for America bolsters your spirits for what you are doing. ... We were inspired to work hard,” she said.

Although the training TFA provides lasts a little over two months, the institute sends future corps members a plethora of resources before the program begins.

During training, Korobow was able to teach summer school classes and attend lesson-plan workshops. She said she learned more in those five weeks of eight-hour days than she had in a very long time.

“I felt as prepared as I could as a first-year teacher,” she said. “But no matter what, you’re not prepared for that first day.”

Now Korobow teaches prekindergarten in Brooklyn. Her students keep her busy as they learn the alphabet and practice their handwriting.

“When you’re excited and your kids are excited, the day flies,” she said.

On the other hand, some days can be tough, especially when children bring issues they see at home, such as abuse, into the classroom, Korobow said.

“You become attached to your students’ well-being,” she said.

Korobow said TFA provides a tremendous amount of help for those stressful days: The program responds to inquiries within 24 hours, provides on-ground support, and keeps in contact with the teachers.

“Whatever you want, you can get,” Korobow said. “(TFA) is really very supportive if you want them to be.”

From her home in an affluent neighborhood, Korobow takes the freshly paved road to the low-income neighborhood in which her elementary school is located. She said the area, which is surrounded by empty buildings and vacant lots, is “tough.”

From the neglected foster child who clings to her side during class to the little girl who smiles when she has done something wrong, Korobow’s students are diverse.

“There is no way to train you to address every child’s particular needs,” she said. “Every child is different.”

Though Korobow plans to work in public-interest law in the future, she said her experiences with TFA are invaluable.

“I’m absolutely so glad that I made this decision,” Korobow said. “Even if you go into another sector, you take the experiences with you.”

Pleased with her new mastery of time management and managerial skills, Korobow said she is excited that every day in her classroom is not only a learning process for her students, but for her as well.

“You’re not just a teacher. You are a nurse, you are a doctor, you are a peacemaker, you are a negotiator – you are everything to your kids,” she said. “I’ve learned more about skin diseases this year than I ever wanted to know.”