Project Protégé in Action: South Spencer Empowers Future Educators Through Modern Youth Apprenticeship

At South Spencer High School, the future of education is growing from within. Yesterday, three students signed on as Education Apprentices through Project Protégé, a division of the Southern Indiana Education Center dedicated to expanding Modern Youth Apprenticeship opportunities across the region. This initiative is not just about early career exposure. It is about cultivating purpose, building identity, and empowering students to see themselves as educators and leaders in the communities they call home.

These students will step into paid roles within their local elementary school, gaining authentic, hands-on experience while still in high school. They will learn alongside experienced mentor teachers, contribute to real classrooms, and develop the confidence and skills to lead. This is more than career preparation. It’s a meaningful opportunity to belong, to be seen, and to make a difference.

As employees within their district, these apprentices are building deep connections with the schools and community that shaped them. They are not just learning what it means to be a teacher. They are discovering the value they bring to the profession and the powerful impact they can have on the next generation. This sense of purpose and belonging is exactly what inspires students to return as future educators, ready to give back to the place they call home.

South Spencer’s leadership in launching this opportunity reflects a strong commitment to growing their own future workforce. By investing in students today, they are shaping a generation of teachers who are deeply rooted, highly capable, and passionately committed to their communities.

SIEC is proud to support this work alongside visionary partners like Ascend Indiana, GPS Education Partners, and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. Together, we are building systems that honor student potential and create pathways to purpose.

Congratulations to these incredible apprentices. Your journey is just beginning, and we are proud to walk beside you.