Home-Grown Teachers: Fast-Track Higher Education Expands Opportunities for Rural Communities\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor Holly Salazar, education is a calling. As a dedicated paraprofessional with the Elko County School District, she\u2019s spent years supporting students. Now, through a unique pre-apprenticeship program, she\u2019s taking the next step toward achieving her dream of becoming a full-time teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Calling Sparked Early in Life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Holly\u2019s passion for teaching was sparked at an early age. At 18, she began working as an assistant teacher at a child care center in Wells, Nevada, thanks to the encouragement of her best friend. From the moment she stepped into the classroom, she was hooked. \u201cI instantly fell in love with it. I loved teaching the kids and watching them grow,\u201d Holly recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding Confidence and Community Support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nCurrently working through general education requirements in the Nevada Forward\u2122 Undergraduate Pre-Apprenticeship Program, Holly is working toward her degree in early childhood education and expects to finish next year. As a full-time working mother, the program\u2019s flexibility has been a game-changer. \u201cBeing able to take classes online at my own pace, after work, without having to go to a physical classroom has made all the difference,\u201d she shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Holly first heard about the program through her coworkers, and although she initially worried that she might be too old to go back to school, she quickly realized this was the perfect opportunity. \u201cI needed to fast-track my degree so I could become a teacher faster,\u201d she said. In addition to the program\u2019s accelerated timeline, she believes the support system it provides has been invaluable. \u201cThe guidance and mentoring offered throughout the program help keep me on track. Life happens, and having that extra support makes it easier to juggle work, school, and family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired to Make a Difference<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHer decision to pursue teaching isn\u2019t just about personal fulfillment\u2014it\u2019s also about making a difference in the Elko community that she and her daughters love. Holly has her sights set on teaching second grade, a pivotal time when students begin developing a love for learning. \u201cThe kids are still sweet, but they\u2019re also starting to come into their own. I love watching that transformation,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond her personal goals, Holly recognizes the broader impact of her journey. With the ongoing teacher shortage in Nevada, she hopes to inspire others to follow in her footsteps. \u201cI tell people about this program all the time. It\u2019s an amazing opportunity to earn a degree, receive mentorship, and get the support needed to succeed. And the best part? No student loan debt,\u201d she emphasizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rooted in Community, Driven by Purpose<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As she continues her journey toward becoming a licensed teacher, Holly remains a testament to perseverance, passion, and the importance of providing higher education opportunities within rural communities. With her unwavering dedication, she\u2019s not just shaping her own future\u2014she\u2019s helping to shape the future of countless young learners in her community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Originally posted: Jul. 10, 2025 By: Kelsey Claus Home-Grown Teachers: Fast-Track Higher Education Expands Opportunities for Rural Communities\u00a0 For Holly Salazar, education is a calling. As a dedicated paraprofessional with the Elko County School District, she\u2019s spent years supporting students. Now, through a unique pre-apprenticeship program, she\u2019s taking the next step toward achieving her dream […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[12,35],"class_list":["post-448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-early-childhood-multilingual-and-special-education","tag-current-students","tag-nv-forward"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/448","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=448"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/448\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":449,"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/448\/revisions\/449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coenewscenter.sites.unlv.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}