WHEELING – A first-year program gearing high school students toward careers in education has taken root at Wheeling Park High School.

The Beyond Education program in recent years was open to juniors and seniors at WPHS with aspirations of becoming a teacher. It was so successful at the school that the West Virginia Department of Education took note, and started its own “Grow Your Own Pathway” program.

“Grow Your Own” provides additional opportunities for students going into the education field, and can lead to them getting their first year’s worth of college credits before graduating high school.

WPHS partners with West Liberty University in providing classes and credit hours for students interested in teaching.

Eight students graduated from the pilot “Grow Your Own” program at WPHS this year, and they were recently honored and hooded during a ceremony in Charleston hosted by the WVDEA.

Ohio County Schools Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones expects more students to join the program next year and in future school terms.

“The ones who did it, liked it,” he said. “Others didn’t realize all the advantages. I think next year it will get bigger than that as time goes on.”

Jones’ own son, Jeremiah, was among the first graduates of “Grow Your Own” at WPHS, and he plans to go on to major in education at WLU.

The “Grow Your Own” program permits students to get an early start on college, and even to start teaching in a West Virginia school during their senior year to satisfy student teaching requirements. During that residency year, the students will earn a teacher’s salary, benefits, and seniority.

The program also covers the cost of the Core Praxis exam for students they will take during their senior year of college.

While in high school, students have the opportunity to take up to 12 credits from dual credit courses in education that are offered free of charge.

“There are other opportunities for dual credit at the high school where you can add more,” Jones continued. “You can get pretty close to a full year of credit if you work at it.”