For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: October 3, 2024
T.E.A.C.H scholarship offers major benefits to education students (with video)
Fennimore -Individuals looking to move into an education career are encouraged to apply for the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.) scholarship. Faculty at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College want to boost awareness and increase the number of students who take advantage of the program. “Because of the critical need of childcare in our communities we are seeing more and more students who are employed while they are going to school,” said Renae Blaschke, early childhood education (ECE) instructor at Southwest Tech. “The T.E.A.C.H. scholarship is something we’re really advocating that all, 100 percent of our students, are aware of it, that they know what it can do for them, and they know how to access it.”
Through the T.E.A.C.H. program, students grow professionally, advance in their careers and education, without feeling a heavy financial burden. T.E.A.C.H. covers most of a student’s expenses, often reducing costs to as little as five percent. In addition, T.E.A.C.H. ensures the student gets paid release time. “It’s a wonderful opportunity,” said Blaschke. “I hope lots and lots of early childhood education students take advantage of it and continue in their pathway from childcare certification, associate degree, and on to a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Early Childhood Education students may transfer SWTC ECE program credits to a university bachelor’s degree for elementary education or a related field. We need good people in the field.”
The scholarship is offered through the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) and has been available for several years. One of the students at Southwest Tech taking advantage of the program is Autum Butler, from Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. Butler is enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program and works at the campus childcare center. “It’s (scholarship) made a lot of difference,” she said. “Before the scholarship I would have never gone or even thought about going to a four-year college afterwards. Right now, I plan on going for my bachelor’s degree after this.”
Butler will graduate in May, and she plans to continue her education, online, at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she wants to work as a special education or elementary school teacher.
The T.E.A.C.H. scholarship is covering 95 percent of Butler’s tuition.
The scholarship allows students to focus on their studies, reduces debt and encourages higher pay in the field of education, according to Blaschke. “Many of the students are going to school full time and working a full-time job, plus doing their field experience hours, in addition to all of their other responsibilities in life; some students are parents and have families,” she said. “It allows them to focus more on their education.”
The scholarship is robust and flexible in its benefits. “The nice thing about the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship is that it can be used by a student who may be looking to take two or three, three-credit courses, or an associate degree and may continue to provide support for students who transfer those credits on to a bachelor’s degree program for Elementary Education or a related field,” said Blaschke. “There are different scholarship models.” The scholarship also focuses efforts on raising the income in the field of Early Childhood Education.
Grace Kite, from Livingston, Wisconsin, is enrolled in the ECE program, and is also benefitting from the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. “The T.E.A.C.H. scholarship helped me financially pursue this career,” she said. “It is helping me learn more about the children and getting more hands-on involvement.”
Kite also works at the childcare center on campus. She will graduate in May, as well, and continue her education, online, through UW-Whitewater. She advises anyone who may be interested in an education career to apply for the T.E.A.C.H. scholarship as soon as possible.
Upcoming application deadlines:
• Nov.1 for spring 2025 semester
• April 1 for summer 2025 semester
• July 1 for fall 2025 semester
Blaschke works with area employers to encourage sponsorship of the scholarship. “We want to get those students into placements of employment that we know will be future sponsors for T.E.A.C.H. scholarships for them,” she said. “We’ll match those employers with our current students.” The student is responsible for approximately five percent of their fees, tuition and books, while employers sponsor five percent of expenses and T.E.A.C.H. covers 90-percent of the remaining costs.
Scholarship eligibility requirements:
- Work a minimum of 25 hours a week directly with children as a teacher, assistant teacher, director or assistant director in a licensed or YoungStar participating group childcare program (or) work a minimum of 25 hours a week as a family childcare provider or family childcare employee in a licensed or certified family child care program.
- Have the support of a sponsoring program.
- Have a diploma from an approved high school or have earned a GED.
- Be employed by a sponsoring program for a minimum of three months.
- Live and/or work in Wisconsin.
- Plan to complete credit-based coursework at a Wisconsin-based college or university.
The application form and more information about the scholarship can be found at wisconsinearlychildhood.org. Anyone with questions, can contact Blaschke at rblaschke@swtc.edu or 608.822.2459.
|Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is one of 16 institutions that comprise the Wisconsin Technical College System. The college was recently named a top 10 finalist for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Southwest Tech offers more than 60 programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Courses are offered on campus, online, HyFlex and in a blended format. The college provides apprenticeship, certificate, technical diploma, and associate degree programs that respond to district workforce needs and prepare student for family-sustaining jobs and career advancement. |