Lilly Johnson, a senior at Smithfield-Selma High School (SSS) was one of two students who received Johnston County Public Schools’ first Johnston County Teaching Educators And Coming Home (JoCo TEACH) scholarship. Johnson received $30,000 towards her dream of becoming a teacher. Additionally, she is among the first group of students to graduate from the JoCo TEACH program.
Established in 2019, JoCo TEACH is a program designed to invest in and recruit diverse students seeking a degree as educators. It provides a seamless pathway for students to earn their Associate Degree in Science in Teacher Education through Johnston Community College (JCC) while attending a traditional public high school.
JoCo TEACH was in its first year when Johnson entered as a freshman at SSS. “It’s exactly what I needed,” she said. Johnson felt a calling to be a teacher at the age of five. Although no one in her family teaches, her older sister taught her the ABCs and 123s. Although Johnson was always the student, she was still drawn to the process. “I just love teaching,” she said.
Until her junior year, Johnson planned to teach elementary school. That’s when she took a British literature class, and her mind was forever changed. “I fell in love with it!” she exclaimed. The class studied Old English texts, such as Beowulf. Old English is the earliest recorded form of the English language. While a lot of people would run and hide from such a difficult subject, Johnson immersed herself in it.
I just love teaching.
As part of the course, she and her classmates were required to submit 300 word essays each week on what they had read. Johnson was knocking out 600 words with no problem. “It clicked for me,” she commented. Ideas for high school lesson plans were floating around in her head like fireflies on a summer evening.
She had an elementary school internship the following summer, and although it was a great experience, it wasn’t what Johnson had anticipated. Unlike the literature class, creating elementary lessons didn’t come naturally to her like she always thought it would. That’s when she knew that being a high school English teacher was her true calling.
Upon graduation, Johnson will attend Campbell University in the fall. She will major in English and earn a teaching license. She is excited about getting involved in college clubs, such as education and English clubs, and has her eyes set on community service. Inquisitive and analytical by nature, she is interested in other people’s thought processes. “I like to know what other people think, and why,” she said.
The JoCo TEACH scholarship is beneficial for Johnson as it takes some of the financial burden off of her shoulders, and she can focus on studies. JCPS benefits as well.
Part of the scholarship brings the freshly graduated students back to teach at JCPS for three years. The program is designed to train the next generation of educators, award them a $30,000 scholarship, then bring them back into the district.
The first of its kind in North Carolina, JoCo TEACH serves as a pilot to help train rising educators who will return to JCPS to serve as teachers. The Johnston County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the creation of a scholarship for the JoCo TEACH program at their November 2022 meeting. There are currently 50 students enrolled in JoCo TEACH. JCPS is the only traditional public school system in North Carolina with a program of this magnitude.
Johnson said the two most valuable lessons she learned through JoCo TEACH are self-motivation and teamwork. The self-motivation piece was critical for her because, even after COVID, Johnson chose to continue with online classes. Couple that with obtaining an associates degree along with a high school diploma, and holding down a job.
Although teamwork is essential no matter what profession you choose, teaching requires a lot of it. Johnson learned to ask her peers for help, and seek out collaboration with others. It’s been said that teachers never make a decision alone. They are consistently talking with their colleagues.
I like building relationships.
There is no doubt that Johnson has a bright future ahead of her in education. Although she knows that teaching is hard, she is always excited about it. Johnson also knows educators do more than teach. “You’re teaching kids how to be good people,” Johnson remarked.
She feels that by making high school a positive learning environment, she will inspire her students to consider teaching as a career. “I like building relationships,” she said.
“I want to encourage other people to take advantage of this program and to always work with the people who are around them,” said Johnson. “My classmates were vital to my success in this program and I am thankful for this opportunity.”