The Homegrown Teacher Academy, a partnership of Duplin County Schools, James Sprunt Community College, and the University of Mount Olive, provides students who are interested in pursuing a teaching career in Duplin County and attend the University of Mount Olive scholarships to help make the cost of attendance even more affordable. The University of Mount Olive Homegrown Teacher Academy consists of students that graduated from Duplin County High Schools and plan to return to teach in Duplin County.
Timeline
High School
This stage involves having greater involvement in the profession of teaching. Students who have achieved a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.5 would be approached to explore the possibility of entering the profession of teaching. Those who apply and who are accepted into the Academy would be allowed to shadow teachers, as well as assist in the planning and preparation of materials for classroom activities. These students would be included in some JSCC and UMO education activities, including selected lectures and presentations by college and university faculty on various topics of education. They would be transported to campus to participate in selected education department events and could be assigned a mentor from JSCC or UMO.
Community College/University
Students participating in this program would take selected courses from JSCC to fulfill basic General Education coursework and may potentially complete some introductory education courses from JSCC or UMO. Academy students enrolled in courses through JSCC could take those courses at no cost due to a North Carolina access program; UMO could offer some lower division education courses at a reduced cost to these students with the assistance of foundation funding coupled with a special rate offered by UMO to Academy program participants.
Scholarships & Financial Assistance
UMO provides generous academic scholarships to qualified entering students. Because students identified through this program would have a high GPA, UMO would commit to awarding a Presidential-level scholarship, currently valued at $6,000 per year.
Students participating in this program who maintain at least a 3.2 GPA would have this scholarship matched for their junior and senior year as a Teacher Academy grant, with the requirement that they will work a minimum of 4 years in the DCPS. In this fashion, students entering into the teaching profession would have their total student debt significantly reduced. Academy students would complete their final internship/student teaching within DCPS. If hired by DCPS, the student’s obligation to repay the Teacher Academy grant would be reduced by 25% each year, over four years.
For more information about UMO Homegrown Teacher Academy, please contact:
Gail Herring
Assistant Professor of Education
University of Mount Olive
gherring@umo.edu