Posted on Friday, October 31, 2025
Lifelong LaGrange resident Molly Weatherford ’26 drew on her own experiences as a Callaway High School graduate and a LaGrange College Education major while engaging with high school students at this month’s inaugural Let’s Teach Day at West Side.
“I was able to offer a unique perspective as a commuter student to many who had never considered attending a college so close to home,” she said. “Education empowers students of all ages to achieve things they might never have thought possible. I’m extremely grateful to be a Panther and loved being able to share that pride with potential students.”
While this type of recruitment event has been done in the past, this was the first year the department has done this for multiple schools at the same time, according to Lyn Perry, Assistant Education Professor and Director of Field Experiences.
“We had a combined 28 students and three educators from the Teaching as a Profession (TAP) program at Callaway High School and LaGrange High School,” she said. “The students either intend to major in education or are interested in majoring in education.”
With a ‘Join Our Team’ theme, participants rotated through five different team huddles which were led by LC Education faculty, Education majors, Admissions and Troup County Schools Human Resources. The event also featured a welcome message from President Susanna L. Baxter, lunch and a tour of campus.
Creating an impact
Anahi Nolasco-Padilla, a bilingual student at LHS, said attending LC’s Let’s Teach Day made her even more excited to become a teacher.
“It was such a great experience because I got to meet the Education majors and hear their stories about what it’s like in the classroom,” she said. “I especially liked learning about how they connect with their students through fun and meaningful lessons, which really showed me how much passion goes into teaching. It reminded me why I want to make a difference for students one day.”
LC juniors Slade Parker and Dezmond Jones said it was inspiring to see so many high school students soaking up everything they could about pursuing a career in teaching.
“It was awesome to see them so engaged, curious and eager to learn more about teaching and the Education Department here at LaGrange College,” Parker said. “I had a blast building a relationship with those who see themselves walking in the same footsteps as me.”
“I really enjoyed interacting with the high school students and seeing their excitement about education and their future goals,” Jones said. “It reminded me why I want to become a teacher—to help others succeed and reach their full potential. Being able to guide, encourage and motivate students, especially as a positive male role model, is something I take pride in.”
A caring community
Darcie Schultz, a participant from LHS, said she instantly felt welcome the moment she stepped onto campus.
“The campus was beautiful, and the atmosphere felt positive and supportive,” she said. “I also learned about some amazing programs and opportunities for students that made me even more excited about the idea of attending. Overall, visiting LaGrange gave me a really good impression, and I could honestly see myself fitting in there.”
Setting out on a path toward becoming an educator seemed out of reach for LHS student Emilyn Scott, but she said that it all changed once she started serving as a teacher’s assistant.
“I have a really hard time learning, so it's difficult to make stuff stick,” she said. “Teachers have always been a safe space with me and they have always been like a hero in a way, but I never really thought I could be one until this year. After helping teachers in elementary schools, I really realized this is what I want to do and when I went to LaGrange College, I noticed the way everyone knew each other and realized how it's hard to find such a great welcoming community like they have there.”
What stood out most for LHS student Danbury Ochoa-Orantes was the personalized instruction at LC.
“I appreciate that there are small classes because students can build stronger relationships with their professors and get more individualized help,” she said. “I want to pursue a degree in education because I hope to make a positive difference in children's lives.”
Growing the teacher pipeline
Currently, school systems in Georgia and across the country are experiencing a shortage of teachers, according to Dr. Gretta Milam, Director of Graduate Studies, Education Chair and Professor.
“In the Occupational Outlook Handbook’s June 2025 analyses, 48 states plus the District of Columbia employed an estimated 365,967 teachers who were not fully certified for their teaching assignments,” she said. “Thirty-one states plus the District of Columbia published data on vacancies, showing 45,582 unfilled teacher positions. Together, these estimates indicate that, at a minimum, 411,549 positions were either unfilled or filled by teachers not fully certified for their assignments, representing about 1 in 8 of all teaching positions nationally.”
LC Education’s partnership with Troup County Schools opens opportunities for student interns to receive job offers upon receiving their degree, according to Dr. Milam.
“Our student interns are placed in local schools with qualified, effective teachers,” she said. “In turn, TCSS hires many of our graduates to fill vacancies each year.”
Dr. Milam said building up the teaching workforce is critical to providing students with access to quality education.
“Education is what creates a strong environment and allows all to have equal opportunities to adequate jobs,” she said. Teaching builds for the future. Without teachers, no other profession can exist.”
Category: Students, Academics, Community
Keywords: Education, Outreach
