OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship
TEACHING WITH PURPOSE, LEADING WITH PLACE
The OHIO Rural Teacher Fellowship, a partnership between BB2C and Ohio University, empowers educators in Appalachian Ohio to lead Community and Career Connected Learning in their schools. Through mentorship, workshops, and a supportive cohort model, fellows design place-based projects that foster career exploration, connecting students to real people, places, and problems in their communities. This three-year fellowship builds teacher-leaders, strengthens local schools, and supports long-term community thriving.
Need some inspiration?
Watch this video to hear how Jennifer Buckler, a STEM Teacher at Western Local Schools, created a Story Book Trail for her Rural Teacher Fellowship Project.
Rural Teacher Corps
The Rural Teacher Corps at Ohio University, a collaboration between Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) and Ohio University Eastern, is part of the nationwide Rural Schools Collaborative Rural Teacher Corps Network. The OHIO Rural Teacher Corps focuses on preparing rural educators to implement Community and Career Connected Learning in their future classrooms.
Beyond the Desk: How the OHIO University Eastern Rural Teacher Corps is Redefining the Classroom
2025-2026 OHIO University Eastern Rural Teacher Corps Interns Amelia Woollard (left), Jessica Schwart (middle), and Emma King (right). Photo provided by OHIO Universirty
In rural communities, the school is often the heart of the town. But for many students, what happens inside those four walls can feel worlds apart from the local culture and economy outside.
The OHIO University Eastern Rural Teacher Corps is changing that narrative.
A collaborative effort between Building Bridges to Careers (BB2C) and Ohio University Eastern, this program is part of the nationwide Rural Schools Collaborative Network. Its mission is clear: prepare a new generation of educators who don't just teach in rural areas, but who truly understand and connect with them through Community and Career Connected Learning (CCCL).
We’ve all heard educational buzzwords, but the Rural Teacher Corps interns are busy figuring out what they look like in practice. Emma King, a recent grad from Ohio University’s Zanesville Campus and Rural Teacher Corps member, said the internship provided the bridge between theory and reality.
"We are the interns responsible for educating pre-service teachers about community career-connected learning... Because you hear it and it's one of those buzzwords, but what actually is it? It can be a lot of things depending on the teacher. We just gave them the knowledge, showed them around Dysart Woods, and led them through a couple of activities—it’s on them now to make it their own."
Dysart Woods, an old-growth forest in Belmont County, was the key CCCL piece for King and the other Rural Teacher Corps members this year.
Jessica Schwartz, another Rural Teacher Corps intern who recently graduated, said trips to Dysart Woods showed her that the best "classrooms" are often right in her own backyard.
"I’ve lived around Belmont County my whole life, and I didn’t even know about Dysart Woods until this,” Schwartz said.
“ It opened my eyes to how opportunities are all out there, and nobody even knows about them. It influenced the way I want to teach... I can see now how you can connect your classroom to the community outside of it."
For students at regional campuses, like King, college can sometimes feel isolated. However, King said this program brought her back into a physical community.
“My campus only had three middle childhood education students in my graduating class, so I was disconnected throughout the entire two years leading up to my senior year. I was hesitant at first, but I’m really glad I took the opportunity. I was able to connect and build relationships…that alone was an incredible experience."
Amelia Woollard, another Rural Teacher Corps Intern who worked with King and Schwartz, agreed that the hands-on, real-world approach to the program was more impactful than any lecture she attended.
"This was the bulk of my college experience—the most memorable and impactful... much more memorable than sitting at a desk and watching classes,” Woollard said.
“This is the type of learning I want to use in my classroom. I want to show my students that the area where they live is not as boring as they might think it is."
The students were quick to credit their mentor, Dr. Jacqueline Yahn, Ohio University Eastern Campus Program Coordinator of Middle Childhood Education and Associate Professor of Middle Childhood Education, for her confidence and the opportunities she provided.
"She is what I aspire to be," Woollard shared. "It’s cool to have people like that in your college experience to follow their lead."
As these future educators prepare to lead their own classrooms, they leave behind a piece of advice for those following in their footsteps. As Emma puts it:
"Take risks, King said. “Don't be scared to branch out and do what is uncomfortable."
By taking those risks, the OHIO University Eastern Rural Teacher Corps is ensuring that rural students will grow up knowing that their communities are full of history, beauty, and opportunity.
