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PGCPS Future Teacher Pipeline Program Celebrates Latest Cohort of Aspiring Hometown Educators

June 6, 2023
 
Six Prince George High School seniors will have the opportunity to educate the next generation locally as part of Prince George County Public Schools' latest cohort of Future Teacher Pipeline students, which encourages aspiring teachers to serve as educators in their hometown schools.
 
Cohort

PGHS Seniors Mikayla Surgeon, Ariyanna Eley, Hannah English, Cassandra Fahy-Cook, Amare Houston, and Ava Sprague are joined by the Prince George School Board and district leadership team members in celebration of being part of the second cohort of Future Teacher Pipeline educators on June 5, 2023. (PGCPS Photo)

This program is available to graduating seniors of Prince George High School who complete the school's Teachers for Tomorrow (VTFT) program, a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) initiative that recruits high school students into the teaching profession, passing the ParaPro Assessment, and either acceptance into a postsecondary college or university with the intentions of pursuing a degree in Education or an acceptance letter into an approved teacher education program at a higher learning institution.

 
Upon completion, eligible students receive and sign a letter of agreement, serving as an official employment offer as a teacher with the district, and are recognized before graduating from Prince George High School. Their employment would be contingent on district funding, availability of a teaching position in the licensed endorsement area, and timely fulfillment of employment requirements.
 
As they complete their teaching programs at area colleges and universities, they will have opportunities to stay connected with their hometown school division while gaining valuable work experience. As part of the Future Teacher Pipeline program, these students will be able to serve as substitute teachers in our schools while they are home on breaks and holidays. They will also have opportunities to support the district's summer learning programs by working as a summer substitute teacher or intern. Additional work opportunities would also be available to these students as they arise during the year.
 
When they return home and work for Prince George County Public Schools, they are welcomed with the Ruby Slipper Award, a division recognition given to those Prince George High School graduates who come home and serve the children of their hometown through teaching.
 
During the Prince George School Board's regular meeting on Monday, June 6, 2023, the newest members of the division's Future Teacher Pipeline signed their letters of agreement alongside their fellow students and as their families and friends looked on from the audience. This year's cohort of students is as follows, including where they will attend school and what inspired them to pursue a career in education:
  • Ariyanna Eley - Attending Virginia Tech University, Studying Secondary Math & STEM
    "I want to educate the next generation, instilling them with the tools, support, and guidance for a successful future."

  • Hannah English - Attending Richard Bland College, Studying Marketing / Business Education
    "I want to help students find their passion."

  • Cassandra Fahy-Cook - Attending Longwood University, Studying Art Education
    "Art is my passion, refuge from the world, and emotional release. I want to share my passion with students who are looking for their passion"

  • Amare Houston - Attending Virginia State University, Studying Middle School Math
    "I want to make an impact on students' lives and their education journey while they are younger and enjoy learning new things."

  • Ava Sprague - Attending Central Texas University, Studying History and Creative Writing Education
    "I want to share my passion for creative writing with others, inspiring future authors."

  • Mikayla Surgeon - Attending Old Dominion University, Studying Elementary Education
    "I want to make an impact on student's lives, to inspire them."

This group of aspiring educators joins the district's first cohort of Future Teacher Pipeline students, Rose Braun, Ryan Childress, Haley Parkin, Clarence (CJ) Thweatt, and Colby Weston, who were recognized in June 2022. Each of these students continues to progress toward their goals, attending colleges across the Commonwealth and entering the workforce as they explore opportunities before returning to post-secondary education.

For more information about the commonwealth's Teachers for Tomorrow program, visit the Virginia Department of Education's website at https://doe.virginia.gov/teaching/educator_preparation/teachers_for_tomorrow/.