BEST Partnership Reaches 20th Anniversary
Butler and Emporia from Students to Teachers recognizes two decades of partnership.
Written by: Caleb Sanderson
Butler Community College’s and Emporia State University’s (ESU) elementary education partnership, Butler & Emporia from Students to Teachers (BEST), recognizes 20
years of dedication and support to students.
The partnership has graduated well over 500 students, with some of those graduates serving as mentor teachers, now or in the past. Students in the BEST pathway earn their Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from ESU while taking all classes on the Andover or El Dorado campuses. These students are almost guaranteed a position before graduation because of the rigor and gained classroom experience.
“Students have multiple opportunities to go out into the classroom,” Casey McGraw, elementary education lead instructor, said. “They get to observe in different settings, interact with students, and plan and teach lessons. The BEST program offers a vast amount of clinical experiences for students, providing real world perspective.”
Students are placed in Butler County and area schools for their student teaching placements with mentor teachers. To give students a rounded experience, they shift placements between a Pre-K through 2nd grade range and a 3rd grade to 6th grade range.
“Students benefit from the BEST program because they get a high-quality education from The Teachers College in Kansas while not having to move,” Todd Roberts, ESU advisor, said. “Many of our students are non-traditional students and place-bound due to family responsibilities, jobs or finances. Having this option the last 20 years has allowed them to stay home and get that degree. We have students that are being recognized as Horizon Award winners, which is for outstanding first-year teachers, including two this past year and one the previous year. Butler and Emporia graduates have a reputation in this area for being great [teacher] candidates.”
Several BEST graduates have received the Kansas Horizon Award, a recognition for first-year teachers deemed exemplary. These students are listed below.
Braiden Allen of Augusta High School
Haven Grade School (Haven) 2024 winner
Brianna (Cleveland) Oglesby of Derby High School
Prairie Creek Elementary School (Andover) 2024 winner
Jamie Rhue of Winfield High School
El Paso Elementary Special Education teacher (Derby) 2023 winner
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