Grow Moore Teachers Pathway Scholarship announces first recipient

Alyssa Mabe, a Union Pines High School senior, is the first recipient of the Grow Moore Teachers Pathway Scholarship, Moore County Schools announced this month.

The scholarship is a collaboration between Moore County Schools (MCS), Sandhills Community College (SCC), and UNC-Pembroke aimed at addressing the teacher shortage and building a stronger pipeline of educators for Moore County, according to the press release. Students graduating from MCS are eligible for the scholarship, which allows them to graduate with an associate’s degree from SCC, transfer to UNCP for their bachelor’s degree, and return to Moore County Schools to teach.

Mabe, from Carthage, is involved in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, Future Farmers of America, and her church’s youth group. According to the release, she has been on the honor roll or distinguished list every semester of high school. Her mother, Kimberly, is also a teacher.

“I want to be a teacher because I have seen the impact my mother has made on her students’ lives and how they remembered her after many years for what she taught them and how she treated them,” she said in the release. “I have also seen the hours she’s spent planning lessons, activities, and positive behavior incentives for her classes. I aspire to be the same kind of teacher.”

According to the press release, this scholarship “leverages the strengths of dual enrollment, the SCC Foundation, and the partnership among the three institutions, making it an affordable and impactful pathway for aspiring teachers.”

“This milestone reflects not only Alyssa’s hard work and passion for education, but also the strength of the partnership between Moore County Schools, Sandhills Community College, and UNC Pembroke to grow and support the next generation of teachers,” MCS Superintendent Dr. Tim Locklair said. “Together, we are building a brighter future for our students and our community.”

Dr. Robin Calcutt, chair of the MCS Board of Education, said teachers play a major role in shaping students.

“Teaching is a noble profession that transforms lives, strengthens communities, and upholds the public good of public schools,” Calcutt said. “… The collaborative efforts of our community, Moore County Schools, Sandhills Community College, and UNC-Pembroke in advancing this initiative exemplify a shared commitment to educational excellence and to ensuring that our public schools are staffed with the highest caliber of educators.”

SCC President Sandy Stewart emphasized, “We will always need teachers. This partnership is a unique pathway to help scholars teach in their community.”

Mabe graduates this June and will start her associate’s degree at Sandhills Community College in the fall.

“I strongly believe in always having a positive attitude throughout life because your actions could make someone’s day better. If you go through life with a smile on your face, it will not only be good for your mental health but it will also provide a glimmer of light into everyone’s life around you,” she said. “I can apply that trait to my teaching career by listening to what my students need and providing them with that as well. I can also apply this by making my students feel safe, secure, and cared for so that they will thrive in my classroom.”