Teacher Program Completes Busy Year With Signing
The Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow program at Rockbridge County High School just concluded an eventful year with a “signing day.”
Three of the program’s seniors made a commitment to pursue a career in education in the national signing day event supported nationally by Educators Rising, a community-based movement dedicated to cultivating the next generation of teachers from PDK International.
The students who committed to post-secondary education with an intent to major in education and to attain a credential to teach were Cameron Terry, who is going to Roanoke College; Brooklyn Kerr, who will be attending Bridgewater College; and Creola Bucy, who is going to Randolph College.
Due to AP testing, one senior was unable to attend the event, but has also committed: Brenna Whiteside will enter the education program at Bridgewater College in the fall.
“I am incredibly proud of our seniors who have chosen to pursue degrees in education,” said Amanda Grimm, teacher/ adviser. “Their commitment to shaping the future through education is inspiring, and I am confident that they will make a positive impact in a future classroom. As an alum of RCHS, I have found teaching at my own high school to be a sweet circle of life. I hope that they will consider returning and teaching within our community.”
“We want to celebrate alongside Rockbridge County High School, the achievement in graduation, and also thank these students in advance for choosing a career path that will have a lasting impact within their community,” said Dr. James Lane, chief executive for PDK International.
Virginia’s Teachers for Tomorrow Program is offered to high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a career in education. The program is designed to attract teacher candidates from high school students to the field of education through exposure to a world-class curriculum and hands-on experience that focuses on teaching. RCHS has been offering the program for over five years.
Rockbridge County High School has also had an active chapter of Educators Rising since 2021. Educators Rising is a national career and technical student organization dedicated to inspiring and supporting students interested in education-related careers, particularly teaching. The program aims to cultivate a new generation of highly skilled educators and address the growing teacher shortage.
RCHS students have competed at both the state and national level in Educators Rising and earned honors for their work. This year, freshman Emmalee Grimm won first place for her project/presentation and will be traveling to Orlando this summer to compete at the national conference.
- Students in Amanda Grimm’s Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow classes have been very active this spring. Over the past few months, they have visited Maury River Middle School, Mountain View Elementary School, and the YMCA Early Learning Center to observe classes.
During April, students helped celebrate Financial Literacy Month by participating in Jump$tart’s “Teen teach-in” event. They visited Fairfield Elementary and taught gradeappropriate lessons on financial concepts.
“This is a win-win because the high school students master these concepts as they practice and teach the lesson while the elementary school students learn about financial concepts in an engaging way from ‘the big kids,’ increasing their excitement and interest in the topic,” said Grimm..
Also in April, the VTfT students attended the “Day in K” event at Maury River Middle School where they set up a face painting station, read books to children on a blanket, and visited with families along with their high school mascot, the Wildcat. They also helped prepare for this event by packing books and pamphlets into bags for teachers to hand out to the upcoming students.
In May, members of the Career and Technical Student Organization, Educators Rising were recognized for their membership this year.
Senior Kaylee Hagenbuch had this to say about the VTfT courses: “My favorite part of the class is the field experience. I love being able to practice being a teacher and observe in person. It is really insightful and inspirational. I have built so many relationships with teachers and students that I will cherish forever.”
Grimm said she is pleased with the participation she has had in the courses this year and hopes to maintain enrollment in the future. This class is essential to helping fill the critical teacher shortage, she said.
Grimm is working with Mountain Gateway Community College to offer more Dual Enrollment Education courses in the future.
Anyone with questions about the Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow courses offered at the high school can contact Grimm via email at amanda_grimm@rockbridge. k12.va.us.
BRENNA WHITESIDE teaches a lesson on money to students at Fairfield Elementary School as part of the “Teen Teach-in” event.
SADIE MOORE works with kindergarten students at Mountain View Elementary School as part of her field experience in the Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow program.
THE FOUR SENIOR members of Educators Rising don their cords for graduation: Kaylee Hagenbuch, Cameron Terry, Brooklyn Kerr and Rio Bucy. The cords were presented at the signing ceremony
BROOKLYN KERR reads to children at the Day in K event.
EMMALEE GRIMM won first place at the Virginia State Educators Rising Conference and Competition in March.
