LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — It's a senior signing, but with a different commitment.
The Lee's Summit School District has a unique program to recruit students to come back to the district.
"I just really want to give back everything they were giving me," said Annie Cernech, a senior.
Riley Bigge, a 2022 Lee's Summit School District graduate, was one of the students to participate in the district's "Grow your Own" program.
"When I was given the opportunity to sign with the Lee's Summit School District, I knew that I wanted to come back, because I've been impacted immensely and incredibly by all the amazing teachers in this school district," Bigge said.
Now, in its second year, graduating seniors in the Lee's Summit School District put pen to paper, signing contracts to return to the districts, but as teachers.
"I already get to see what it's like to teach in this district and so that's just really reaffirmed it even more that I want to stay here," Cernech said.
The "Grow your Own" program is an addition to the Teacher Educator Academy.
It's the districts way of helping students get into teaching, while also ensuring Lee's Summit has teachers returning.
"Really, the 'Grow your Own' push came in the last two years to support them after," said Ashley Turner, a Teacher Educator Academy instructor. "We have admin in the district, we have teachers in the district that are Lee's Summit graduates, so it's something that we've been doing, it just hasn't been streamlined as much to make sure that we're combating that teacher shortage."
Students who are selected for the program receive a mentor and yearly professional development provided by the school district while in college.
Once students reach the point of student teaching, they'll do so in Lee's Summit schools.
"Grow your Own" students are also guaranteed an interview for a full-time position and if hired, over their first four years on the job, they'll be reimbursed $10,000 for student loans or graduate school.
"It's almost like a fantasy, like it wouldn't really happen, you don't see a lot of people getting the opportunity to go back to their hometown and teach people," said Zachary Ellington, a senior.
Last school year, the district said 90% of teachers returned. Currently, there are 21 open positions for next year.
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