GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – New teachers are now leading classrooms at GRPS thanks to the district’s Grow Your Own program, which created a pathway to teacher certification at no cost.
A total of 26 participants have either completed or are on track to complete their teacher preparation programs. Two of those to complete the program used it to start a second career.
“I spent about 20 years in banking,” explained Sara Bajema, who now teaches at Palmer Elementary School. “I did everything from working in the branches to working in commercial banking, treasury management, and financial literacy classes.”
“I had been working with refugees here in the Grand Rapids area,” said Evan Smith, who is now teaching at Southwest Middle High School Academia Bilingüe. “A big part of my work with them was teaching them English.”
Funded through federal dollars distributed by the State of Michigan, the program provided financial support to GRPS support staff and individuals working in GRPS through third-party staffing partner EduStaff.
Participants pursuing an initial teaching certification or an additional Michigan teaching endorsement received assistance with tuition, program fees, books, licensure testing, and other educational expenses. By covering these costs, the program created a true no-cost pathway into the teaching profession.
“I don't think I would have gone back to school had it not been for the Grow Your own program,” Bajema added. “It took off that financial burden of trying to figure out how can I pay for this while still working. Things I never thought would ever happen in my life happened.”
“The Grow Your Own program has made it possible for me to get in right from the start,” said Smith. “I am grateful for every part of the program in making this possible. GRPS gives us, as educators, this opportunity to impact these students in a really profound way.”
Applications for the program closed in September.