Upshur County Schools
Press Release
April 21, 2022
West Virginia Grow Your Own Program Offered to Buckhannon-Upshur High School Students
BUCKHANNON—State Superintendent, Clayton Burch, and state officials joined students from Buckhannon-Upshur High School to share information about the West Virginia Grow Your Own (WV GYO) program. As an initiative developed in response to the teacher shortage, the WV GYO program provides a college-career pathway for high school students interested in the field of education.
The Upshur County School District has partnered with West Virginia Wesleyan College to offer the WV GYO pathway. Coursework has been developed to include both high school and college level courses. Throughout the program, students will earn credits toward college graduation by taking courses part-time at Buckhannon-Upshur High School and part-time at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Students enrolled in the WV GYO program will complete a year-long residency as a classroom teacher in Upshur County. Following the residency, students will return to Upshur County classrooms to work as teachers for three consecutive years.
Dr. Sara Lewis-Stankus, Superintendent of Upshur County Schools, shares “Our partnership with West Virginia Wesleyan College allows our students to become part of a local initiative that is meaningful and impactful to our school system and community. Together, we are inspiring future educators. The WV GYO program is part of our community, our investment, and our future.”
