Appalachian State University’s Reich College of Education (RCOE) and Watauga County Schools (WCS) received a $6,000 gift from the Sun Belt Conference as part of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers (EYFT) Week initiative.
The gift funded a project titled First Teach: Appalachian State University and Watauga County Schools’ Teacher Cadet Program, a partnership focused on building and supporting future educators.
College Football Goes the Extra Yard for Teachers
EYFT Week, held September 15-23, 2023, was an eight-day period dedicated to celebrating educators across the country, supported by the CFP Foundation and its partners. The CFP Foundations established EYFT Week in 2015 to provide an opportunity for universities, coaches, and student-athletes to take part in its mission of elevating the teaching profession through inspiring and empowering educators.
The CFP Foundation provided the Sun Belt Conference with funds to support teacher-centric education initiatives in conjunction with conference activities at member institutions. Institutions had an opportunity to receive up to $6,000 to implement projects in the local community that incorporated one or more of the pillars of the EYFT Program: resources, recognition, recruitment, and professional development.
In addition, each institution was asked to designate a home game during EYFT Week to recognize the teachers associated with the initiative during an on-field presentation. App State selected October 10, 2023, as this date was chosen as the Education Day game at App State.
Game Day Celebration
The WCS Teachers and the Principal of the Year were invited to the October 10 App State home football game against Coastal Carolina University.
Those who were recognized were:
- From Bethel School, Pam West ’88 ’10
- From Blowing Rock, Brittany Bolick
- From Cove Creek School, Kylie Bolick ’11
- From Green Valley School, Sierra Owen
- From Hardin Park School, Amy Atkins ’16
- From Mabel School, Amy Thomas ’09
- From Parkway School, Kari Riddle ’18
- From Valle Crucis School, Shelby Hatton ’18 ’22
- From Watauga High School, Erik Mortensen, who was also named 2023-24 Watauga County School District Teacher of the Year
- From Watauga Virtual Academy, Ashley Brown ’02 ’06 ’09
- The Watauga County Schools Rookie Teacher of the Year, from Blowing Rock School, Shelley Dewey
- And, the Watauga County Schools Principal of the Year, from Valle Crucis School, Dr. Bonnie Smith.
During the game, they were recognized on the field for their achievements and as Extra Yard for Teachers participating partners. Associate Dean Monica Lambert and Public School Partnership Director, Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm, presented a $6,000 ceremonial check to WCS Superintendent, Dr. Leslie Alexander in acknowledgment of the gift that helped fund the First Teach Program.
“We are so appreciative of our partnership with Watauga County Schools, which allows us to collaborate on such important initiatives, such as this project which will fund conference attendance, resources, education-based activities, and a full day of college access experiences for our local aspiring future educators,” said Rosenbalm.
She added, “This grant has been instrumental in helping us build the educator pipeline in our northwest region of the state for the past several years!”
About the Teacher Cadet Program
App State was founded as a teachers’ college in 1899 and these educational roots remain an integral part of the university’s identity. Today, the RCOE is first for teaching - first to lead and listen, first to inspire and innovate - ensuring that our graduates are prepared to be leaders in the field of education.
Through its Public School Partnership (PSP), the college works diligently to develop and sustain relationships with local school districts to support the growth of the teacher pipeline through initiatives such as the Teacher Cadet Program. This program provides its high school cadets with a project-based and practicum-centered curriculum which exposes students to the wonderful realities of teaching at an early age. WCS is one such dedicated partner.
The goal of this initiative is that once students have graduated from college, they will return to their home school district and teach in their own rural areas of the state. With the additional funding provided by the Extra Yard for Teachers Grant, App State will be partnering with these regional classrooms during the school year in a variety of ways:
- providing mini-grant funding,
- sending some Teacher Cadets to a North Carolina Teacher Cadet Conference,
- co-hosting a “Future Educators Day” on the App State Campus with Watauga County Schools and other Partnership school districts, and
- pairing one App State faculty or staff liaison with each Teacher Cadet/Future Teachers Club in our region!
Related Article:
Extra Yard for Teachers Recognition
