The Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow (VTfT) program has opened a new window of opportunity for students in Virginia Beach and around the state. The class took a hiatus in our building last year, but is back under the guidance of Government teacher Mikki Sturgis.

   According to Sturgis, it is a “‘grow your own’ or grassroots program designed to help students interested in becoming educators.”

   The program offers hands-on teaching experience and the development of leadership skills for juniors and seniors who are interested in becoming educators or leaders in other fields. 

   “Ẅhile many of the students enrolled in VTfT want to become professionals in education, many do not,” said Sturgis. “Ẅhatever the reason, the student who takes VTfT is more prepared for the next part of his/her academic and career journey.”

   VTfT lessons and activities are meant to foster leadership and encourage students to take on difficult tasks. 

   “Classwork includes a variety of experiential learning, performance assessments and field trips,” said Sturgis, “The better part of the final semester is devoted to an internship where students will be excused from school to work in an elementary or middle school setting, supporting the instruction of a cooperating/mentor teacher.”

    An added benefit is that VTfT is a dual enrollment course meaning students can earn college credits. Students said they are excited about the experiences they will gain from participating.

   “I am looking forward to the end of the year where we actually interact with the children from other schools,” said senior Brittany Smaltz. “I think it is so neat that I have the opportunity to practice teaching in a real classroom where I can teach students of the school of my choice.”

   Senior Peyton Vanbuskirk also appreciates what VTfT is teaching her as a future educator. 

   “I have always had this inkling to be an educator, but lost my way for a while,” said Vanbuskirk. “When I entered high school I started to think about teaching again after I heard about the VTfT course.”

   Now that the class has returned, students are starting to use the the important lessons they are being taught to pave a bright path into the future for both them and the students they teach.

   “My favorite activity is what we are doing right now, which is creating a children’s book,” said Smaltz. “We are learning about self-confidence and we have to incorporate that into our story, [which] we then presented to the students who run the coffee cart in the morning. It is a fun way to teach something so important.”

   Throughout the year, they will learn everything from early childhood development to how to write a lesson plan and these lessons aid them help them in becoming more comfortable with themselves and their ability to be in a leadership position.