Examining the perceptions of teacher candidates’ participating in a state-funded “Grow your own” initiative and exploring strategies that will retain them

ABSTRACTThis article addresses a familiar topic, teaching shortages across the United States. To situate our study, we explore the impact that Grow Your Own (GYO) programs are making across K-12 schools and within communities in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States. Then, we share the perceptions of teacher candidates who participated in a GYO effort at our public university. Findings suggest that academic, social, and professional opportunities, as well as community engagement, such as field trips to educational settings in the area, were key to candidates’ wanting to remain in the program. Implications specific to diversifying the teacher pipeline are also discussed.KEYWORDS: Undergraduate teacher educationgrow your own programsmentoringteacher shortageretention Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.