WCC Partners with Public Schools and Emory & Henry College to Prepare “Teachers for Tomorrow”

On April 18, Wytheville Community College and leaders from Galax City and Bland, Carroll, Grayson, and Wythe County Public Schools, and Emory & Henry College met to sign an agreement for the “Teachers for Tomorrow 1+1+2 Program.”

WCC recently signed a similar agreement with Smyth County Public Schools and Emory & Henry College. This exciting program is designed to develop and implement an expedited pipeline for students from partnering schools to obtain teacher certification. Through the partnership, each participating public school division will provide information about the “Teachers for Tomorrow” program to all 10 th grade students. High school juniors and seniors will then have the opportunity to explore careers in teaching and educational support services. The public schools commit to offering dual enrollment courses that will allow students to earn one year of college credits during their junior and senior years of high school.

WCC commits to providing the needed dual enrollment courses to meet the “Year 1” of the “Teachers for Tomorrow 1+1+2 Program.” WCC will also offer a defined course sequence for students after their high school graduation to enable students to meet the “Year 2” of the program. Successful students will be able to earn a transfer associate degree.

Emory & Henry College will then offer the final two years of the “Teachers for Tomorrow 1+1+2 Program” to enable students to complete a Bachelor’s Degree through a prescribed curriculum and obtain teacher licensure.

Emory & Henry College is also offering students in the program a discounted tuition rate of $7,500 per year, excluding the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant.

“Today marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the signing of the MOU between our K-12 education partners, Wytheville Community Colleges, and Emory & Henry College for a transformative

grow-your-own teacher preparation program,” said Dr. Dean E. Sprinkle, WCC President. “This

collaborative effort underscores our commitment to nurturing talent within our communities and fostering a seamless pathway for aspiring educators.”

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for high school students in WCC’s service region who aspire to be teachers,” said Sprinkle. “The ‘Teachers for Tomorrow 1+1+2 Program’ encourages high school students to explore career opportunities and then helps them map out their educational pathway, and earn college credits for associate and bachelor’s degrees that lead to rewarding teaching careers.” Sprinkle noted that through WCC’s partnership with public schools, dual enrollment courses are provided at no tuition cost to high school students. After students graduate, if they enroll at WCC, there are numerous types of financial aid and scholarships available to help with the costs of the second year of the associate degree.

“Emory & Henry College is pleased to participate in this collaborative program to provide students with an accessible path to achieve their goal of becoming teachers,” said Dr. Michael Puglisi, Provost. “We want them to be able to complete their educational path here in the region, to stay here, and to go on to teach in Southwest Virginia. We want to keep our best students in the region to support our future.”

For more information about the “Teachers for Tomorrow 1+1+2 Program” at Wytheville Community

College, contact Jennifer Nunley, Assistant Professor of Education at [email protected] or at (276) 223-4875.