Strong schools build strong communities — and nowhere is that more evident than in Ohio University’s Rural Teacher Corps. This innovative program isn’t just training future educators to teach; it’s preparing them to become part of the communities they’ll serve. That approach could make all the difference for our region’s school districts.

Through a partnership with Building Bridges to Careers and support from the Rural Schools Collaborative, the Rural Teacher Corps gives students hands-on experience in real classrooms and communities. Interns like Amelia Woolard, Jessica Schwartz and Emma King are learning that teaching in rural areas involves more than lesson plans to ensure student success and teacher retention.

This approach helps address one of the toughest challenges rural schools face: retaining teachers. When educators are trained in the communities where they’ll work, they’re more likely to stay and build meaningful careers there.

Ohio University’s program reflects a larger national effort to build a “grow-your-own” pipeline for rural educators. By focusing on both recruitment and retention, this initiative helps ensure that small-town schools won’t have to rely solely on outside hires unfamiliar with rural life.

Local organizations can support this effort by welcoming student-teachers, offering mentorship, and sharing their knowledge. In doing so, they help create a generation of educators committed to strengthening the very communities that raised them. That’s not just good education policy — it’s an investment in the future of our region and all of Ohio.