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16 Morristown Magazine “We continue to work with other programs and Tennessee’s Grow Your Own Center based at UT Knoxville in developing pathways to in- crease the number of applicants in our teacher pipeline,” he said. “I hope to be able to use these programs to help reduce the barriers for individuals who have thought about a career in teaching, but may need a less traditional path to earning that tea- ching certificate. “A little over two years ago our board had the vision and insight to create a partnership be- tween Walters State Community College and Western Governors University to address an ongoing teacher shortage in the state and across the nation.” “We currently have 22 students who are working through Western Governors Universi- ty and we have five who finished up within those first two years and have started working for us in Hamblen County schools.” The five teachers who completed the program are Chelsea Atkins, Isaiah Crawford, Madison Greene, Mason Hance and Danny Pinedo. “I would like to compliment these individuals, they were all working as teaching assistants while they were completing those last two years. They all began working for the district the day after graduation and they are doing a tremendo- us job,” Drinnon said. The County’s first graduate of the program, I hope to be able to use these programs to help reduce the barriers for individuals who have thought about a career in teaching, but may need a less traditional path to earning that teaching certificate. Hamblen County has five teachers who have completed the program are Chelsea Atkins, Isaiah Crawford, Madi- son Greene, Mason Hance and Danny Pinedo.