KENNEWICK, Wash.- Seven seniors from the Kennewick School District officially signed on to the Teaching Bridge Program at WSU Tri-Cities on May 16.
“We are very excited about this partnership with the Kennewick School District and are looking forward to extending the Teaching Bridge program to other school districts in our area,” said Judy Morrison, professor and academic director for the WSU Tri-Cities College of Education.
According to a WSU press release the Teaching Bridge program eliminates the two-year gap between high school and entering the teacher prep program at WSU.
Teaching Bridge participants can work 10-18 hours per week as paid part-time or substitute paraeducators while attending college classes full-time.
“The best part about this is the real-life experience I get before having to decide what I want to do. I can’t wait to be in a school as a para getting the experience,” said Haley Nelson a senior at Southridge.
At the end of the two-year program students are ready to apply to WSU’s B.A. in Education program according to today’s press release.
KSD students enrolling in the Teaching Bridge program:
Kennewick High School: Nerissa Grimm, Seth Keller and Lizzandra Ramirez.Southridge High School: Lilly Johanson, Haley Nelson and Alvaro Rodriguez, Jr.Kamiakin High School: Eva Arroyo.
“With the shortage of educators, the partnerships within this program will begin to close the gap to educator shortages and create a robust talent pipeline for the Kennewick School District,” said Jim Kindle, regional career connected learning coordinator with ESD 123.
