SJSD, MoWest partnership opens scholarship pathways for future teachers  

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)-- A new partnership between the St. Joseph School District and Missouri Western State University is opening the door to more scholarship opportunities for students in the district’s “Grow Your Own” teaching pathway. 

For Darian Elder, a full-time substitute teacher at Hosea Elementary, the support is helping her take the next step toward becoming a teacher—while continuing to work in the school she already loves.  

“It helps with finances so much with being working full-time and also going to school full-time and just making sure I am able to balance both of those things,” Elder said.  

Elder plans to attend MoWest, where she’ll qualify for an additional grant on top of the Grow Your Own funding.  

Together, those resources will cover her education—allowing her to graduate without taking on student loan debt.  

She first learned about the opportunity during a conversation with Director of Human Resources Mark Korell.  

“I told him I would like to go back to Missouri Western and he informed me about the grant that Missouri Western was graciously offering the students of Grow Your own,” Elder added.   

Elder said, as she heads back to school to become a full-time teacher, her time working in a school showed her that teaching is truly what she wants to do for the rest of her life.  

She encourages anyone even a little curious about teaching to give it a try by working in the St. Joseph School District first.  

“You can become a para or you can always apply for any of the other jobs we have here and then you can see if teaching really is for you because that’s also what I did,” Elder said. 

For students like Emilee Dulcan, a senior at Lafayette High School, the program offers both opportunity and peace of mind.  

Dulcan plans to attend Graceland University and said the extra financial support was a big factor in her decision.  

“Also it automatically guarantees me a job and I don’t have to go try and find something here when I can just come back to home and teach students,” Dulcan said.  

She hopes the program will pay off in the long run, helping her cover college costs while also preparing her to be the best teacher she can be. 

Mark Korell, Director of Human Resources, said the program was designed to help high school seniors pursue college degrees in education, offering up to $4,000 per year. 

He also shared some recent good news about a partnership with MoWest and the opportunity it provides.  

“The foundation told us they were going to give us a grant to offer some additional fund for individuals who chose Missouri Western as their school of choice,” 

The district has also expanded opportunities for current employees, creating a pathway for those who want to earn a teaching degree or continue into a graduate program through MoWest. 

While applications for this year’s Grow Your Own program closed in mid-February, students can start applying again in December through the district’s website. 

And Korell emphasized that the scholarships aren’t limited to students in the St. Joseph School District.  

“These scholarships are not just for the St. Joseph school district students, if we have students from other district who are willing to pursue a degree in education, they can do that as well,” Korell said.  

For those interested, the first step is to talk to a school counselor. Programs at Benton and Central high school can help students get started and even open the door to scholarship opportunities.