Recent high school grads earn scholarships to teach, stay in W.Va.
Jul. 8—This fall, when Audrey Simpson steps onto the campus of Fairmont State University to begin her training to become an elementary school teacher, she'll also be the latest to walk the point in a new academic tradition.
While also working to combat a classroom gap in West Virginia, state education officials hope.
Simpson, who most recently turned her tassel with the Class of 2022 at Clay-Battelle High School, is among the 27 high school graduates across the Mountain State chosen for the third cohort of Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars.
She was the only one from Monongalia County to earn the scholarship, which pays out up to $10, 000 a year, or a total of $40, 000, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy said.
There is a caveat and a stipulation, said Sarah Armstrong Tucker, the state's chancellor of Higher Education.
West Virginia right now has teacher shortages across most of its districts in the fields of math, science, special education and elementary education.
Recipients must agree to teach in one of those fields and to stay in West Virginia at least five years after graduation.
That won't be an issue for Simpson, she said this past May in Blacksville as she took to the football field with her fellow Cee-Bees for commencement.
"This is home, " she said.
Which is almost heaven to Tucker's ears, she said, since the initiative couldn't have been more home-grown in the first place.
"We worked with the Legislature and Gov. Justice three years ago to create a preeminent scholarship that would produce new generations of strong, committed teachers for years to come in the Mountain State, " she said.
"With three cohorts of scholars now pursuing their teacher careers right here at home, " she continued, "we are well on our way."
Each recipient is also paired with a practicing teacher, who will be a built-in mentor through college, Tucker said.
Simpson said she was academically blessed to have lots of mentors in her life during her elementary, middle and high school years. She and the bulk of her classmates had been together since kindergarten, and more than a few of her teachers are also Clay-Battelle grads themselves.
She was also vice president and had written out some remarks to deliver during the ceremony. In the rush of it all, however, they didn't make it to the podium — so she showed some classroom poise early.
"Well, I had something prepared but I can't find it, so I'm gonna go off the cuff, " she said with a smile toward the bleachers.
"We appreciate everything you've done for us. Thank you."
In the meantime, she and the newest scholars are set to be honored this coming Tuesday in an event scheduled at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.
And higher education officials are also working on the next round. Applications for the 2023 cohort will be open this Thursday.
Visit https://www.collegeforwv.com /programs /underwood-smith-teaching-scholars / for more details.
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