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CHARLESTON -- Twenty-five high school seniors who graduated this year have been selected as West Virginia's first Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars. These students will receive the state's newest and most prestigious scholarship of up to $10,000 per year or $40,000 total for their college education as they prepare to pursue rewarding careers as West Virginia teachers.
Among the 2020 Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars beginning their studies in West Virginia this fall are:
Somer Kerr from Philip Barbour High School is attending West Virginia University to pursue a degree in elementary education.
Stori Ketterman from Petersburg High School is attending Shepherd University to pursue a degree in science.
"I'm incredibly proud of these young scholars, and I can't wait to see what they accomplish over the next four years and beyond," said Sarah Armstrong Tucker, chancellor of West Virginia's Higher Education Policy Commission and Community and Technical College System. "When we worked with the Legislature and Governor Justice last year to revamp this program, we knew we wanted to create a preeminent scholarship that would produce new generations of strong, committed teachers for years to come in the Mountain State. This cohort is just the beginning, and it's certainly a bright one."
"I am pleased to congratulate the inaugural class of Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars. Their interest in and commitment to education is commendable, and I know this scholarship is paving the way to build capacity among our teacher ranks," said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools W. Clayton Burch. "The challenges we face in filling content areas such as math, science and special education are very real. Programs such as this will assist us to meet the demand with a highly qualified corps of new teachers."
This program, the first in the state to be open to a national applicant pool, is designed to help West Virginia address ongoing teacher shortages in the fields of math, science, special education and elementary education. Recipients commit to teaching in one of these high-demand fields in West Virginia for at least five years after graduation. To give students the greatest chance at success, each is paired with a practicing classroom teacher mentor, who will provide guidance throughout their college careers.