Future educators in Aberdeen will have a new opportunity to fund their path to the classroom. The new scholarship fund aims to support teachers in pre-k through high school.
The endowment fund is backed by the Aberdeen Area Retired School Teachers organization and will help to create new opportunities for the next generation of educators.
Gretchen Sharp is the executive director of the Aberdeen Public Schools Foundation.
“It’s just been established so its not up to giving scholarships quite yet, but once it reaches that level it would be providing scholarships to seniors in high school interested in pursuing education,” Sharp said. “We have a dire need for educators in the state, we have great educators currently, but we always need more.”
Sharp said students involved in programs like Educators Rising are part of the target group for the funds.
“Those quality educators are super important to the future of our kids,” Sharp said. “So, this is really striving to encourage students to become teachers, enter that pipeline, and fulfill that passion they have for education. The group was really thoughtful about how they want to do the criteria for this scholarship, so they want to see students that are already pursuing those activities.”
Sharp said the district is already noting strong interest in the field.
“The Educators Rising program at Aberdeen Central is growing and it’s an organization for future teachers,” Sharp said. “They’re trying to reward those students and students like them that are really passionate about education.”
Preference will be given to graduates of Aberdeen Central High School, and the application window is open for students in their senior year.