New Hanover Co. Schools face teacher shortage challenge with scholarship fund

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County Schools are making a push to get students into the education field. The school board is trying to help out with a new future teacher scholarship program.

The New Hanover County Board of Education announced the first group of recipients of the Board of Education Student Scholarships for Future Teachers.

Four New Hanover County High School Students, Laney High School Senior Chloe Schaeffer , Isaac Bear Early College  High School Senior Casey White, Hoggard High School Senior Samuel Unrue and Hoggard Senior Lindsey Wilcox  received future teacher scholarships from the school board. Each student will get $28,000 to attend an accredited North Carolina school of their choice. They will get $7,000 dollars a year. When they graduate from college they are required to come back and teach full-time in the New Hanover County school system. The scholarship terms also say recipients must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA in college and remain a student in good standing according to requirements of the school they attend.

Dr. Susan Hahn, New Hanover County human resource director, said this is a tool they are using to help get quality educators into the school system.

“They are coming home and some of them really have a connect to the schools that they went to themselves, and so I think they are really committed,” said Hahn.

Hahn said finding people willing to commit to a teaching career can be a challenge.

“I think what everyone knows is the pay issue. I think the job is an incredibly demanding job, you have to have people who love it, and can exist on a teacher salary,” said Hahn.

Scholarship recipients said getting some financial help is relief as they pursue careers in education.

White said she works hard in school ultimately for one goal.

“I really want to teach high school science specifically biology. My personal biology teacher from tenth grade was the one who definitely inspired me to get into that field,” said White.

Schaefer, an aspiring elementary school teacher, said it’s not about the pay.

“It’s rewarding in so many ways. Even if it’s just the smallest thing, when a student finally clicks with a concept, that can be the most rewarding thing ever,” said Schaefer.

Hahn said a couple years back the General Assembly ended the state funded teacher fellowship program, which paid for teachers to go to school and required them to teach in North Carolina. She said they did get some quality teachers out of that program so they are hoping this future teacher scholarship program will do the same.