Community and Career Connected Learning Made Easy Thanks to the OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship
Written By: Kaitlin Streator, BB2C Communications & Engagement Coordinator and Emily Bentley, BB2C Education Engagement Specialist
It’s a well-known fact here at BB2C that teachers have a lot on their plates. And while we think educators are truly multitasking masters, there is only so much they can accomplish by themselves within their classroom walls. Luckily, thanks to the OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship, teachers can tap into resources and build community connections that can simultaneously open doors for their students and help strengthen their communities.
Launched in 2021, the OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship, a collaboration between Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) and Ohio University Regional Higher Education (RHE), is a catalyst for transformative change in rural Appalachian Ohio.
The fellowship supports both practicing teachers (Rural Teacher Fellows) and Ohio University undergraduate education majors (Rural Teacher Corps members) as they develop Community and Career Connected Learning (CCCL) projects. These projects are rooted in the needs and assets of local communities, tackling real-world challenges while embedding career awareness and place-based learning into the classroom. At its core, the fellowship recognizes that successful students, thriving businesses, and strong communities are interconnected - and that educators play a pivotal role in building those bridges. One educator in particular who dove headfirst into the RTF program is Crysta Barnett-Sheaves, a seventh-grade science teacher at Marietta City Schools.
Crystal Barnett-Sheaves
Marietta Seventh Grade Science Teacher and OHIO Reural Teacher Fellow
“Participating in the Rural Teacher Fellowship has been a transformative experience, allowing me to continue to find ways to bridge the gap between my classroom and the local workforce through Community and Career-Connected Learning,” Barnett- Sheaves said.
“This journey was highlighted by our involvement in the FlexFactor challenge—a collaboration with Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO) and the Appalachian Manufacturing Ohio Coalition (AMOC)—where my students solved real-world problems using advanced manufacturing.”
To deepen this connection, Barnett-Sheaves created “Future Tiger Pathways”- an initiative that aimed to get students out of the classroom and into local college labs and businesses, as well as “STEAM Stories”, a digital library of local professional narratives that showcase regional career paths that is now hosted on the BB2C website.
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. This collection of stories aims to inspire the next generation of STEAM pioneers by highlighting various STEAM careers in the Mid-Ohio Valley and beyond. Through these inspiring narratives, we aim to help students visualize future opportunities in STEAM fields and foster their curiosity.
“By integrating these high-level industry partnerships with my own initiatives, I am proving to my students that the Mid-Ohio Valley is a premier resource for leadership and innovation, turning my classroom into a hub for real-world opportunity,” Barnett Sheaves said.
The OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship follows a three-year program structure. Fellows receive a stipend, mentorship from seasoned educators and community partners, and participate in virtual and in-person workshops. The program’s cohort model fosters a supportive network of educators leading change together.
Fellows are encouraged to identify and act on opportunities in their own schools and communities, similar to Barenett-Sheaves’ collaborations with WSCO and AOMC, and her “Future Tiger Pathways” and “STEAM Stories” projects.
By connecting students to real people, places, and problems in their communities, these projects enhance workforce readiness and help ensure long-term community thriving.
Fellowship applications are now open for the 2026-2027 academic year. Eligible applicants are current PK-12 educators in Appalachian Ohio or Fairfield County with a passion for Community and Career Connected Learning. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with a final deadline of July 10, 2026.
Whether you’re looking to grow as a teacher-leader, connect with a community of passionate educators, or spark innovation in your school, the OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship could be your next big step.
To learn more, contact Emily Bentley, BB2C’s Education Engagement Specialist at ebentley@bb2careers.org. The OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship is proudly supported by the Rural Schools Collaborative and the Ohio University Undergraduate Experiential Learning Fund.