“I’m looking around, and I see a room full of people who know something that it takes others years to figure out—and that’s that education is the best profession that anyone can be in,” said CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey.
DeLancey was speaking at the Signing Day and Apprenticeship Graduation for Educators Rising—a grow your own program through which chapters at secondary schools have relationships with teacher preparation programs at institutes of higher education. The program is supported by the Connecticut State Department of Education, Department of Labor, Connecticut Education Association, and many other state agencies and organizations.
At the event, both college and high school students were celebrated for their choice to enter the teaching profession. High school seniors participated in a signing ceremony, committing to the college they will study at next year in their pursuit of an education degree. College students were celebrated for their commitment to their apprenticeship programs and were offered positions within the school systems where they have been learning.
CEA Educational Issues Specialist Elizabeth Sked, CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey, and CT Teacher of the Year Brian Betesh joined Ed Rising and CT Department of Education staff and others to celebrate aspiring educators.
“By bringing our high school and collegiate aspiring educators together, we are closing the gap,” said Maia Schwing, CEA Aspiring Educator Program Chair. “We are building a continuous journey from the moment you feel the spark to teach, all the way to your college graduation and first classroom.”
Closing those gaps starts early and continues all the way through to an educator’s first classroom. The Educator Rising program nurtures the love of teaching early and follows the student through all major milestones to reach their goal. This pipeline is working to retain talent, break down barriers, and fill workforce gaps in schools.
“Students can explore careers in education in middle and high school through the Ed Rising program,” stated State Department of Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker. “They can then access the Aspiring Educator Scholarship Grant in support of their education, gain hands on experience through the Next-Gen Educator Program, and continue with our Teacher Educator Apprenticeship Program where they earn while they learn and obtain their teaching certificate.”
DeLancey also spoke of the commitment CEA is making to continue to fight for teacher rights and improve working conditions for future teachers for years to come.
“Our goal is that the conditions that you have when you enter your first classroom are better than the conditions I had when I entered my first classroom, and they continue to improve year after year,” said DeLancey. “When you are in the classroom, you deserve to have a space where you can make magic happen, where you can see every student for who they are, and help to create a world where they can be successful and thrive.”
