The Trojan Teachers Residency Program provides year-long, paid residencies for teacher candidates who are paired with experienced mentor teachers in local schools in central Arkansas. Supported by a grant from Forward Arkansas, the immersive program gives aspiring teachers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the classroom throughout an entire school year, preparing them to be day-one ready as educators when they graduate.

The July 28 panel served as a highlight of orientation day and marked the launch of the program’s third year, when residents will be teaching in and . It featured current educators who previously completed the residency program and a longtime district partner who has helped shape its success.

Dr. Rachel Eells, Windgate endowed director of the School of Education, moderated the panel, which included Chadwick Comer, a seventh grade English teacher who completed his residency in the program’s first year; Tinaya Brown, a May graduate of the program who will teach kindergarten at J.A. Fair K-8 Preparatory Academy in the fall; and Dr. Janice Walker, assistant superintendent at the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District.

“This orientation is about helping our new residents learn from those who have walked this path before,” Eells said. “Our panelists are examples of what this program can do to prepare teachers to succeed.”

Comer shared how he transitioned from observing his mentor teacher to becoming an active co-teacher early in his residency.

“I quickly realized this was a shared classroom,” he said. “My mentor made me feel welcomed, and I adapted fast. That support allowed me to grow and eventually lead the class with confidence.”

Brown emphasized the importance of staying organized and avoiding procrastination.

“If you start doing things at the last minute, it won’t work,” she said. “You have to think about the performance of your students and stay ahead.”

Walker highlighted the impact the program has had on her school district, particularly in recruiting and retaining quality educators.

“Having residents in our district has changed the landscape,” Walker said. “When I walk into classrooms, it can be hard to tell who is the resident and who is the teacher. They’re contributing so much. This is a journey, and it’s about building trust and empowering future teachers.”

Throughout the panel, the speakers underscored the value of reflection, honest feedback, and strong relationships between residents and mentor teachers.

“I needed brute honesty,” Brown recalled. “Even if it hurt my feelings, I wanted to improve. I made actionable steps and implemented them.”

Comer echoed the importance of reflection and co-planning between himself and his mentor.

“Daily reflection helped me improve and build a template for my first year of teaching,” he said. “It gave me a foundation.”

Eells encouraged residents to embrace the program’s supportive structure.

“This experience gives you the freedom to try new things while having someone there to guide you,” she said. “That’s rare in education.”

The panelists also shared advice on building relationships with students and their school communities.

“Build bonds with your mentor teacher, your students, and your school,” Comer suggested. “Those are the people you’ll work with for the year and maybe for many years to come.”

Walker said that school districts get the benefit of working with and training skilled residents for a year, which is an excellent recruitment tool. 

“With the training that’s given here at ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock, you are coming in with a great skill set,” Walker said. “The benefit that we get is a year-long interview process. The goal of our district is to hire every resident to be a part of our district. I call it our family. If we instill the very best in you, you will serve the students with excellence.”

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The celebratory event was held at Pinewood Elementary School. The four future educators – Amari Boone, Melissa Lambert, Laura Reynolds, and Baxley Travis – were invited to the stage to open an envelope that revealed their mentor teachers, grade levels, and school placements for the 2025-26 academic year. The residents are matched with experienced educators who will guide them throughout their year-long residency.

Amari Boone, an elementary education major from Little Rock, will be working in kindergarten at Bobby G. Lester Elementary School with mentor teacher Melissa Comier. Boone’s passion for teaching began at a young age through Sunday School and mentoring her younger cousins.

“I feel very privileged to be part of this residency program,” Boone said. “I feel well prepared and, most importantly, overly supported. I can’t imagine how being a teacher would be without experiencing this first.”

She said the Match Day event was more than she expected and helped her feel comfortable about the year ahead.

“I met my mentor teacher, and I love her already. She was super sweet, and I felt very comfortable with her.”

Melissa Lambert, a special education master’s student and mother of four boys from Austin, Arkansas, will complete her residency at Jacksonville Middle School under mentor Kathy Eason. This marks the first time that a special education student will complete a residency through the Trojan Teacher Residency Program.

“I am a nontraditional student,” Lambert said. “I have three sons who have needed specialized instruction and helping them during their educational careers inspired me to do the same for others.”

Lambert was overwhelmed by the support shown at Match Day and said the residency offers invaluable hands-on experience.

“I believe that learning in class is the start of your education. The on-the-job experience I will gain through this program will benefit me throughout my educational career.”

Baxley Travis, a history major with a secondary education focus from Redfield, Arkansas, will also teach at Jacksonville Middle School, co-teaching eighth-grade social studies with mentor Zachary Dennis.

“Match Day was overwhelming but wonderful. I didn’t expect to be recognized and given so much encouragement,” Travis said. “Mr. Dennis seems like a great teacher, and I know I will learn a lot with him as my mentor.”

Inspired by great educators in her life, Travis said the residency offers an important stepping stone to becoming a confident and capable teacher.

“I think it will be a great way to get comfortable in a classroom and build my confidence as an educator,” she said.

Dr. Kristin Dutcher Mann, social studies education coordinator and Travis’ advisor, said that Travis is lucky to be on the receiving end of so much ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock history. Travis’ mentor, Dennis, is one of Mann’s former students who graduated ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock in 2017. Dennis, in turn, completed his student teaching with another ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock alumnus, Greg Frantal.

“I am glad to see our program’s legacy continue with the expansion of our yearlong residency partnership to students in our secondary licensure programs in Jacksonville,” Mann said. “It is a privilege to re-engage with former students like Zach as they share their classrooms and their expertise with current students.”

The Trojan Teacher Residency Program, launched in 2023 through a grant from Forward Arkansas, is designed to address the state’s teacher shortage by offering education majors a full year of co-teaching and mentorship, while also providing financial support. 

“With support from Forward Arkansas, we had a vision for a year-long paid residency program, but we could not do that on our own,” said Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. “A testament to the success of this model is the fact that three of the students who were residents are now full-time teachers in the district.”

Jacksonville North Pulaski Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Owoh praised the value the residency program brings to the district.

“This program brings up-and-coming teachers into our classrooms and allows us to play a role in their development,” Owoh said. “It’s a win for everyone—our students, our schools, and the future of education in Arkansas.”

As Match Day concluded, district leaders, mentors, university faculty, and residents celebrated with photos, handshakes, and shared excitement for the year ahead.

“I don’t want you to just look at this as just Match Day,” said Dr. Janice Walker, JNPSD assistant superintendent. “I want you to look at this as a journey that you’re starting as a partnership, because that’s what it is. It’s one in which you will grow, learn, and build relationships, and you’re going to be able to inspire.”

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The single mother from Benton has faced more than her share of obstacles—balancing motherhood, chronic health issues, school, and a part-time job. But through it all, she never let go of her belief that teaching is where she’s meant to be.

“There were times during my residency when I doubted if teaching was really my purpose,” Betts said. “But every time I stepped into the classroom, I felt peace. That’s when I knew this is what I’m supposed to do.”

Betts recently completed a year-long teaching residency at in Jacksonville, where she worked with mentor teacher Wanda Eskridge in a fourth-grade classroom, describing the experience as transformative.

“It’s probably the best school I’ve ever been in,” she said. “The staff felt like family, and the support was amazing. I told them, if I could, I’d move the whole school to Saline County just so I could work there.”

The residency, part of ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock’s Trojan Teacher Residency Program, gave Betts not only hands-on experience but also the confidence to manage a classroom and collaborate with fellow educators.

“Lesson planning used to scare me,” she said. “Now I feel ready. I’ve grown so much in my confidence.”

She credits much of her growth to the support she received from her professors at ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock, especially site coordinators Dr. Kenya Brooks and Dr. Terri Guy.

“They’ve encouraged me through every doubt I’ve had,” Betts said. “Even after I had their classes, they stayed in touch and continued mentoring me. I ask a lot of questions, and they never made me feel like I couldn’t come to them.”

Betts was born in Georgia and moved to Arkansas when she was seven. She earned an associate degree from ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝â€“Pulaski Tech and then transferred to ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock in 2023 to pursue a Bachelor of Science in elementary education, a decision based on affordability, flexibility, and proximity to her daughter, Shyloh.

Balancing life as a student, mother, and employee hasn’t been easy. Betts has worked for eight years at Chick-fil-A in Bryant, where she says she’s received “incredible support” from her coworkers and supervisors.

“They’ve helped keep a roof over my daughter’s and my heads,” she said. “I’m really thankful.”

While graduation is a major milestone, Betts isn’t slowing down. She’s currently applying for teaching positions across Arkansas and plans to pursue a master’s degree in mathematics in the future.

Her advice to future students is to: Stay open, ask questions, and surround yourself with the right people.

“Don’t be afraid to lean on others. Find a support group that lifts you up. That makes all the difference.”

And if she ever has doubts about her future as an educator, Betts reflects on why she started this journey in the first place.

“My philosophy is to change the world one classroom at a time,” she said. “I remind myself of that whenever I start to question my path.”

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“The residency program has been an invaluable opportunity for professional growth for our educators as well as our teacher interns,” JNPSD Superintendent Jeremy Owoh said. “It provides hands-on experience and mentorship that are critical for developing effective pedagogical skills. I highly recommend the residency program to any superintendent or principal looking to enhance their educator’s professional capacity and increase their educator pipeline to the District, and I am happy to welcome this second cohort of teaching residents to JNPSD.”

The seven new residents are working in Bayou Meto Elementary, Bobby G. Lester Elementary, and Murrell Taylor Elementary schools for the 2024-25 school year.

The new teacher residents include Fallon Armstrong, mentored by teacher Amanda Lercher; Trula Bell, mentored by teacher Regina Eubanks; Averee Betts, mentored by teacher Wanda Eskridge; Trinity Gilstrap, mentored by teacher Ashley Polen; Maggee Powell, mentored by teacher Kimberly Williams; Layla Schwab, mentored by teacher Sarah Henderson; and Janelle Solis, mentored by teacher Danielle Pelletier. Dr. Terri Guy serves as the ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock site coordinator for JNPSD.

“The Trojan Teacher Residents in Jacksonville are working in three different schools, providing high impact math tutoring to small groups of students,” said Dr. Rachel Eells, Windgate Endowed Director of the School of Education at ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock. “Our partnership with Jacksonville has allowed us to shift to respond to their district’s needs, and these residents applied for the role, knowing that this was the particular need for this year. We are pleased to be able to partner for experiences that accomplish multiple goals.”

Last year, the first participants of the teacher residency program worked in Jacksonville at Murrell Taylor Elementary and Jacksonville Middle School. In lieu of traditional student teaching, residents spent the entire academic year in the same classroom with an experienced teacher mentor, learning all the tricks of the trade to be successful educators.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I loved and enjoyed being around kids. I enjoyed it so much I would set up my room as a ‘classroom’ and play teacher with my family and friends,” said Averee Betts, a senior elementary education major from Benton who is teaching fourth-grade math. “I am very thankful for this opportunity and to be a part of the Jacksonville School District. This residency also is very hands-on and helps prepare me by having the opportunity to teach and be the teacher of the classroom.”

The teacher residency program is supported by a grant from , which is helping ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock address Arkansas’s teacher shortage by working to increase the number and diversity of teacher candidates entering the field.

Maggee Powell, a senior elementary education major from Benton, originally planned to go into healthcare, but quickly realized that it wasn’t for her.

“I had a realization that my true passion is with kids, that being in a classroom is where I saw myself,” Powell said, adding that participating in the residency program has allowed her to grow as a teacher.

“Being in an internship with a support system is truly so important,” Powell said. “I feel supported by my colleagues and my fellow classmates. Murrell Taylor has shown me a true support system, and I am forever thankful. I have grown to love Murrell Taylor and the people at it. They have welcomed me like I was already family.”

Trinity Gilstrap, a senior middle childhood education major concentrating in science from Cabot, is teaching fifth-grade science and writing at Bayou Meto Elementary. She credits her fourth-grade teacher Mr. West for inspiring her to become a teacher, but thanks her teacher mentor Ashley Polen for showing her how to be a good teacher.

“Being a part of this teacher residency program is helping me prepare to be a day-one ready teacher because I’m gaining confidence in teaching,” Gilstrap said. “I’m seeing all aspects of what a teacher really does and how to handle a classroom. So, when it comes time for me to teach, I’ll know what to do and how to do things!”

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