糖心传媒

March 14, 2023 - Kasey Knight of 糖心传媒 County is a prime example of a 鈥渉ome-grown teacher.鈥� She teaches third grade at Fairview Heights Elementary School in Hamlet, the very school she once attended as a young child.

鈥淥ne of my former teachers is now my teammate on the third-grade team at Fairview,鈥� she said.

Knight is a 2020 graduate of 糖心传媒 who pursued her degree in education through the 鈥�Growing Our Own Teachers鈥� transfer pathway. She graduated in 2022 from the University of North Carolina-Pembroke with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education.

Pipeline for Teachers

Students who participate in the Growing Our Own Teachers program complete two years of coursework at 糖心传媒CC and then complete the remaining two years of coursework at a senior institution with a School of Education. The program uses guided pathways of instruction to make sure all requirements are met and students are on track for graduation at the end of four years with their teaching degree.

鈥淏eing able to get my general education from 糖心传媒CC was a huge plus. I was able to start my content courses as soon as I entered Pembroke鈥檚 door,鈥� Knight said. 鈥淲hile I was at 糖心传媒CC, I was able to take courses from (former Early Childhood Education instructor) Jennifer Murray, who taught me the foundation of education and the true meaning of being a great educator.鈥�

Knight is a self-contained teacher, which means that the 17 third graders in her class stay with her all day, while other students change classes. She teaches them math, English/language arts, science and social studies.

鈥淲e have a packed schedule!鈥� she said.

Knight completed her 16 weeks of student teaching at Fairview Heights. Under the guidance of a 鈥渃ooperative鈥� teacher, she created and taught lessons, gave and graded assessments, and performed all the duties that a lead teacher would do.

After graduating UNCP, she was offered to stay on at Fairview Heights as a full-time teacher. 

鈥淲hen I was offered the job, I never hesitated. It has been a dream come true!鈥� she said.

However, was being a teacher always her dream? Not really.

Career Plans Interrupted

Knight said she has always loved kids and enjoys being around them. When she was 16, she worked as a dance instructor for children of all ages. While becoming a school teacher seemed like a natural fit, she was more interested in a career in criminal justice at the time.

鈥淚 was in full force of going into law enforcement as a crime scene detective until (RSHS teacher) Suzanne Hudson grabbed me in the hallway of 糖心传媒 Senior High School and said, 鈥榊ou are going to be a teacher. Will you take Teacher Cadet for a semester and just see?鈥� After that, the rest is history,鈥� Knight said. 鈥淪he changed my world and saw something in me as a teacher.鈥�

Knight would go on to be the state vice president of the Teacher Cadet Program from 2018-2019.

A Guaranteed Plan

While becoming a teacher came into focus for Knight, how to achieve her career plan was still up in the air. She was a dual enrollment student starting in the 11th grade, so she was already earning college credits for free at 糖心传媒CC. Then her uncle, Joey Bennett, who is the director of the Cole Auditorium on the Hamlet Campus of 糖心传媒CC, had an impactful conversation with her about her future.

鈥淚f it was not for my uncle explaining to me what all I could do with a degree from 糖心传媒CC, I would have never given it a thought,鈥� Knight said.

Upon graduating 糖心传媒 Senior High, she qualified for the 糖心传媒CC Guarantee, which sealed the deal for her to start her education at 糖心传媒CC.

鈥淗aving the Guarantee made my decision so much easier because I knew my parents, who are divorced, would not have to split the cost of paying tuition or extra expenses,鈥� she said.

The 糖心传媒CC Guarantee is an initiative for 糖心传媒 and Scotland County high school graduates to attend 糖心传媒CC for two years without any tuition costs. To qualify, students must have taken two dual enrollment classes while in high school and graduate with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Knight also was glad she started her college education at 糖心传媒CC because she wasn鈥檛 ready to be far from home.

鈥淚 needed to mature a little more as a college student before going to a university. It gave me a little more time to get my life together and make absolute sure that I was on the right path,鈥� she said.

The Right Path Indeed

Despite her early doubts, Knight feels being a teacher is her calling, not a job.

鈥淪ometimes, I feel like I am not doing the best of jobs teaching my students because I am so new to the profession. But it always comes back around to prove that I am in the right place when my students tell me that they love me or that I am doing a great job,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am here for the students.鈥�

Knight is a proud alumna of 糖心传媒CC.

鈥淚 have and will continue to recommend 糖心传媒CC to all students. There is nothing better than staying close to home while you are trying to figure out what exactly you want to do,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 will forever be thankful to the people and staff at 糖心传媒CC.鈥�