Knox College was recently awarded a grant from the Rural Schools Collaborative designed for cultivating students' understanding of place-based education in rural communities like Galesburg.

The Catalyst Initiative Grant, part of the Rural Teacher Corps program, offers recipients $25,000 of flexible planning funds to design and implement a teacher corps program over the course of an entire school year. During this year of planning, schools have the opportunity to meet with local educators and develop concepts for a program unique to their community before officially launching.

Assistant Professor of Educational Studies and Director of Teacher Education Mary Lyons says the process of applying for the grant was a collective effort between members of the Knox education studies department and the advancement office. She says the grant will fund local educator panels, faculty support, and travel for students to complete practicum hours in rural school districts around Galesburg including Galva, Monmouth, Knoxville, and many more.

The country is experiencing a teacher shortage, especially in rural communities, and Lyons hopes that this grant will be an opportunity for the College and participating educators to showcase the benefits and unique qualities of teaching in rural and rural-serving communities and give students a reason to consider or pursue that path.

To kickstart the discussion, four local educators met with about two dozen Knox education students in the Trustee's Room to hold a broad Q&A session on October 19, 2023. The discussion centered around the realities of teaching in Galesburg District #205. This will be the first of a number of panels planned throughout the year.

“What we're trying to figure out is how to cultivate openness to, understandings of, and respect for rurality in our Knox students who partner with educators and serve youth in local schools here,” Lyons said.