“I came from a low-income community where the teachers put in a lot of effort to make a safe, fun and creative environment for each of their students,” Bailey said. “Just like many of the teachers in my elementary school, I knew I wanted to make sure every child had the same space that I did.”
Bailey is one of 24 students selected for this year’s Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars through the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
“I was unsure if I was going to be able to come to Marshall, but receiving the scholarship gave me the financial stability to continue my education where my dreams can come true,” Bailey said.
During her junior year of high school, she joined a program called Grow Your Own Pathway to Teaching, offered through the West Virginia Department of Education.
The Grow Your Own Pathway program allows high school students to start college early through dual-credit courses in their home county schools.
And she’s hit the ground running this semester, starting her first year academically a sophomore thanks to the program.
“This journey is going to be long and some nights it may feel hard, but the impact I may have on my students will be worth all of the hardships,” Bailey said.
She said during her senior year in the program her counselor encouraged her to apply for the Underwood-Smith scholarship.
“I am super thankful for this scholarship and opportunity,” Bailey said. “I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me.”
This is the fifth cohort of students who receive up to $10,000 per year for four years.
Five other students with plans to attend Marshall University also received the scholarship.
The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program requires recipients to teach in a high-demand field in West Virginia for five years after graduation. High-demand fields include math, science, special education, and elementary education.
Bailey’s commitment to her hometown aligns perfectly with the program’s goal to address the teacher shortage in West Virginia.
“In the future, I see myself teaching in my home county. In Fayette County, we are struggling to find teachers. I want to encourage my community the same way they encouraged me,” Bailey said.
And her list of teachers to thank isn’t short — but three stand out specifically.
“My high school band director, Mr. Myers, gave me the advice to let your personality shine throughout you through your whole life. My third-grade teacher, Mrs. Setterl, taught me to be kind and to be the joy that everyone needs. My vo-tech teacher, Ms. Crouch, taught me that to be a great teacher, all you need is a heart to do it.”
For a full list of this year’s Underwood-Smith recipients, visit: https://www.wvhepc.edu/news/state-selects-24-students-for-west-virginias-prestigious-teaching-scholarship/.
