Science Hill seniors commit to teaching

Science Hill seniors signed on for futures in education during a ceremony honoring their classroom experience and career goals Thursday. During the Future Teacher Signing Day event, students in the Teaching as a Profession program were recognized for completing their capstone experiences and committing to future education pathways. The Teaching as a Profession (TAP) program was created to introduce high school students to careers in education. TAP provides early exposure to the teaching profession through hands-on learning experiences and structured pathways for students who wish to become educators. Wendy Whitmore, a TAP CTE instructor, said the 12 seniors in the program successfully completed the capstone through practicum and work-based learning experiences. Together, they logged more than 2,700 hours in classrooms. "It's a symbol of their patience, their preparation, their compassion and their commitment that they have poured into real students and real classrooms," Whitmore said. Whitmore added that beyond academic ability, the group stood out for their character and care for others. "What stands out most about this group and the ones that aren't able to make it — it isn't just their impressive work ethic, which they have in abundance, and not their academic ability — it's their intelligence, their dedication to children and, most importantly, their kindness to other people." The program's reach extends across multiple schools, with students completing internships in elementary, middle and high school classrooms while preparing for a range of careers. Nine of the students plan to pursue careers in education Shyanne Adams plans to attend ETSU for social work; Brayden Austin will attend Emory and Henry University for elementary education; Hannah Campbell is heading to ETSU for elementary education; Mia Carter will also attend ETSU for elementary education; Weston Cleveland plans to attend Northeast State for K-12 physical education; Ari Ketterman will study history education at Northeast State; Lily McAllister will major in elementary education at ETSU; Nora Numbers will study engineering at Brigham Young University; Addie Vandergriff will attend the University of Tennessee Knoxville for elementary education; Emma Walters will attend Appalachian State University for elementary education; Sophia Webb plans to attend Tennessee Tech University for biochemistry on a pre-pharmacy track; Nathan Wilson will attend ETSU for elementary education. Johnson City Schools Director Erin Slater said she has observed many of the students during their internships and praised their work in classrooms. "I just want to congratulate all of our graduates that are going on to further education in the area of education," she said. "I've been out in the classrooms, and I've watched some of you as you've done your internships. I'm extremely impressed." Slater announced a new opportunity aimed at keeping future teachers within the district. Each student received an interview ticket guaranteeing them one interview with Johnson City Schools for an education position after graduation if they choose to apply. "We want to make sure that we grow our own — we talk about that a lot, and so I wanted to make sure that we put something behind that." For students like Lily McAllister, the decision to pursue teaching comes from both personal inspiration and hands-on experience in the program. "My fourth grade teacher was really my best inspiration — just getting to see her not only have fun with her students but also teach them how to be young adults," she said. "For me, I've always wanted to help people. I think elementary education is the best way because that sets up our future generations." McAllister credited the program and Whitmore's mentorship for shaping her path. "I really love this program," she said. "I started my freshman year, and immediately Dr. Whitmore made me feel so welcomed and so loved. We did journaling every day to get our thoughts out and to let everyone speak and share their opinions." "She gave us so many opportunities that I really don't think I would have been able to have anywhere else," she added. "I got to learn so much from her. She is truly the greatest mentor I've ever had, and I thank her so much for it." McAllister said those experiences solidified her decision to continue in education, adding she has already begun building that foundation through dual enrollment coursework and classroom experience through the program. "I'm looking forward to growing my knowledge and expanding upon what I've learned already from the TAP program here at Science Hill," she said.