LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — The Lee's Summit School District has a program to raise its own teachers as the district's high school seniors sign on for the district's Grow Your Own program to become future teachers.
Over 20 graduating seniors in the school district signed on Tuesday to be a part of the program.
It's the fourth year of the program and its goal is to prepare students to become teachers and work in the school district.
Throughout their college careers, the students get lots of help with student teaching, mentors, and a guaranteed job interview with the school district once they graduate from college.
"I feel like I'll be really prepared when I come back," said Teagan Jones, a student in the program. "Growing up all the way to my senior year of high school in this program, and then signing to come back to this program, is really special to me so we continue to grow this district."
"Every single connection that I have made throughout the Lee’s Summit district and all my teachers have made me so passionate about it, and they have helped me so much," Ella Maintz, another student said.
Not all students signing on Tuesday were new to the program. Rachel Voss graduated from college in three years and was back to sign her job contract as a middle school teacher in the district.
"My grandma was actually a teacher in this school district for 35 years," Voss said. "She retired from [Bernard] Campbell Middle School, which is where I'll be teaching next year, so she’s really excited about that."
Voss is the first to complete the program, and is an example to all the new students that the work pays off.
"Seeing Miss Voss be able to go through this program and be so successful, she’s really inspiring to me," said new participant, Makayla Collett.
As a part of the program, Voss receives a stipend to help pay off any student loans. She said she's grateful for the experience, though it did go way too fast.
"It doesn’t feel like its been three years," Voss said. "It really doesn't."
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