Quincy Combs from Moorefield High School in Hardy County signed his agreement to become a Department of Labor teacher apprentice through the West Virginia Department of Education’s (WVDE) TeachWV Grow Your Own Pathway to Teaching program (GYO). Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) approved the WVDE as a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) for the K-12 Teaching Occupation. This enables counties to sustain efforts for students to pursue a teaching career and to pay those students a wage to do so. Mr. Combs will become the first in our county to become a teacher apprentice under these guidelines. Moorefield High School Principal Amanda Campbell shared at the ceremony, “It’s an honor for our school to be able to provide a program where students can explore teaching as a career. To see them learn here, graduate, and then come back to teach here—it’s a remarkable opportunity for all of us. This apprenticeship program is the spark that helps students discover early if this is their path, allowing them to feel confident in their choices.”
Mr. Combs, a 2024 graduate of Moorefield High School, distinguished himself by completing all four Grow Your Own (GYO) program courses, making him a program completer, and taking numerous dual-credit courses. During his high school years, he also earned an associate degree from Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. Currently enrolled at Liberty University, Mr. Combs is working toward a bachelor’s degree in education with a focus on secondary social studies. This semester, he will receive compensation for several of his observation hours and serve as a substitute teacher at Moorefield High School. At the recent signing ceremony, Mr. Combs shared his motivation for entering the field of education: “I want to be a teacher because I want to inspire students and help them build a strong foundation for all the life skills they’ll need to succeed. Public schools are such a vital part of our community, and I hope to make a difference by giving back to the schools that shaped me.”
Dr. Van Meter emphasized, “Our commitment is to provide an exceptional experience for students interested in teaching by allowing them to engage in real classroom environments before they start their own careers. This firsthand experience truly ignites their passion and dedication to the profession.” The inaugural Grow Your Own (GYO) class from Hardy County Schools has recently celebrated notable successes. Graduates from this program are now attending colleges across the state and beyond, advancing their career readiness. The GYO program offers extensive support, free dual-credit courses, and tailored pathways to licensure, enabling high school students to pursue teaching degrees with reduced financial and time barriers. In its pilot year, over 250 students from 37 counties statewide participated, saving families across the state more than $90,000 in tuition costs. Hardy County is among the original seven counties to implement an apprenticeship component for GYO students.
For more information about the Grow Your Own program, visit TeachWV.com. To create apprenticeship opportunities for Hardy County students at your business or organization, contact Jessica Markwood at jessica.markwood@k12.wv.us or 304-530-2348 ext 9232.
