John Wood Community College (JWCC) has been selected to receive a grant through Grow Your Own Teachers Illinois (GYO-IL), an Illinois-based nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the state’s educator workforce.
The grant supports JWCC’s Grow Your Own initiative, which focuses on helping more students identify, enter, and complete education pathways leading to PreK–12 teaching careers. The project emphasizes community-connected students and works to reduce barriers to college entry, persistence, transfer, and licensure—particularly in regions where educator shortages persist.
GYO-IL is committed to recruiting and supporting diverse, community-connected individuals who aspire to become teachers and to positioning teaching as a rewarding and accessible profession. Through advising, mentorship, and pathway alignment, the organization helps guide candidates through every stage of educator preparation.
At JWCC, the grant will support expanded outreach, increased access to education coursework, strengthened advising and wraparound supports, and enhanced transfer alignment with four-year university partners. These efforts build on existing partnerships with K–12 districts and regional institutions to create clear, supportive pathways into the teaching profession.
“This investment from Grow Your Own Teachers Illinois allows us to be more intentional about supporting students who want to serve their communities through education,” said April Darringer, Early Childhood Professor and Program Coordinator at JWCC. “By aligning pathways and removing barriers, we can help prepare future teachers who are committed to the schools and communities they know best.”
Through this collaboration, JWCC and GYO-IL are working together to strengthen the regional educator pipeline and support long-term workforce stability across West Central Illinois.
More information is available from Darringer at 217.641.4528.
