New program provides Hardin County seniors with tuition help in return for guaranteed teaching positions

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- Teacher shortages are hurting school districts across the state. But Hardin County Schools has a program aimed at turning that trend around and putting high school seniors on a path back to the classroom.

In a special ceremony Wednesday, seniors from various Hardin County high schools lined up to sign a contract, saying that HCS will pay them $350 per class they take wherever they go to college for as long as they're working on a bachelor's degree in education. In return, that student must teach for HCS for a least three years after graduation. And if they attend Western Kentucky University, WKU will pay for another $350 toward each class, meaning two-thirds of the cost will be covered.

"I've always known that I wanted to be in education," said Ellie Wright, a senior in HCS. "And whenever this opportunity arose, our school district was obviously amazing. They provide us with countless opportunities to succeed."

"This was just something that was going to help me graduate college debt free and be able to start my own career sooner."

Wright is one of 14 students who took dual credit teacher education classes at HCS' Early College and Career Center (EC3) as part of a relatively new "Grow Your Own" program.

"Long term, I hope that we're able to reverse the teacher shortage," said Dan Robbins, principal of the EC3 program, adding that he believes the program gets future educators off to a great start. "(When) they walk out of high school, they are graduates of Elizabethtown Community and Technical College with their associate's degree and they walk right into Western Kentucky University teacher (education) program ready to start."

With more than 30 positions currently open within HCS, Robbins feels the investment will pay off in the long run.

"We need to get to a point where teaching is a profession that a lot of people want to go into ..." he said. "Obviously, we know there's a lot of things that still have to be fixed for all of that to happen. But that would be my hope."

Wright and the other seniors who signed on Wednesday are excited for the day they can come back to teach at HCS.

"Ultimately, it's just so good to be able to give back to your community," Wright said. "And, looking back, there's so many teachers and faculty that impacted me. So I think it would just be awesome to know that I can have that impact on children as well."