In a sixth-grade classroom, something has changed.
“I didn’t like science before,” Ariya Cherry shares. “I love my teacher, Miss Cist. I really appreciate that she always treats a question like a good question. She’s so passionate, and it makes us want to be passionate about science.”
That kind of transformation begins with a committed teacher.
At LCA, one of the clearest investments we are making through Vision 2030 is in our teachers. For more than 80 years, we have known that great classrooms are built by great educators. The Teaching Fellowship Initiative is designed to do exactly that, to form and support early-career teachers at the most critical point in their development.
Our first Teaching Fellow, Natalie Cist, represents that investment in action.
“A teaching fellow is someone earlier in their teaching career who’s given extra mentorship and training,” she explains.
Rather than expecting new teachers to navigate their first years alone, the fellowship surrounds them with coaching, intentional development, and time to grow in their craft without needing to step away from their students.
“By starting out the year with a lighter teaching load, it allowed me to dig deeper into studying classroom management, evidence-based teaching methods, and faith integration,” Natalie says. “What I learn in the fellowship is meant to be integrated in my classroom in real time.”
The first year of teaching is often the hardest. At LCA, we are working to change that by creating the time and space for teachers to grow. The goal is to set teachers up for success from day one, so their students can thrive in year one.
“I’ve really appreciated having this time and space to develop my own style as a Christian educator without needing to step away from my students,” Natalie reflects. “It has prepared me to take on a more full course load.”
“I’m honored that LCA is investing in me so that I can invest in my students,” Natalie says. “It’s long been my dream to have a career in Christian education, and I’m so glad I get to be trained in this community that cares deeply for one another and is thinking about how to ensure the future of LCA.”
This is the vision: cultivating exceptional Christian educators who shape not only what students learn, but who they become, impacting students in classrooms where curiosity is encouraged and learning comes alive.
When we invest in teachers, that investment is multiplied by reaching every student, every day, in every classroom.
We’re excited to announce that our fellowship program will continue with a new teacher next year.
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Watch more of the story here!
