Graduating Missouri State University senior and Marshfield native Michaela Bledsoe was excited to return home this semester for her student teaching duties. 

“I built such a great connection with this community and I wanted to continue that for my adult life,” said Bledsoe, an elementary education major.  

She always considered rural education the obvious career path for her. 

“The community offers so many ways to connect to students,” she said. “Whether it’s at sporting events, church or even just from their backyard, kids really enjoy seeing the same people in their small town.” 

Ozarks Teacher Corps supports rural education 

For the past two years as a student at Missouri State, Bledsoe has been a part of the Ozarks Teacher Corps (OTC).  

OTC is a scholarship run by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks that provides financial aid to future educators and helps put them in rural classrooms. OTC connects education students through professional development events, building a network of rural education leaders. 

She first heard about OTC from her academic advisor at Missouri State. As of 2019, OTC has a teacher-placement rate of 92%.  

Bledsoe found connecting with her peers through OTC an enriching experience. 

“It’s not just about my classroom; it’s about education as a whole,” she said.  

“We all have the desire to improve and teach the next generation of students. Being with people who are excited about kids and students is just so energizing.” 

A teaching job secured 

While Bledsoe’s time as a student teacher is ending with her graduation from MSU this May, her relationship with Marshfield R-I School District is not.  

It offered her a fifth grade teaching position starting this fall. 

“I’m so thankful I get to go back home for my first year of teaching, and hopefully for many more,” she said. 

Learn more about Elementary Education Programs