Joshua Scherrer, an instructor at Heritage Park High School, is one of 32 educators selected to serve as GoTeachKY teacher ambassadors for 2021.
Scherrer — who teaches U.S. history, government and economics — said he envisions the primary responsibilities of a GoTeachKY Ambassador as “engaging with potential future teachers, connecting with and sharing the stories of new and veteran teachers, and promoting the mission of the GoTeachKY initiative.”
“I am honored to be a part of this process and am excited to lend my experience and insight to help inspire the next generation of educators,” he added.
According to a release from KDE, “The mission of GoTeachKY, an initiative of the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), is to ensure that all students across the Commonwealth have equitable access to effective educators. GoTeachKY seeks to recruit the next generation of teachers in Kentucky, helping remedy the critical teacher shortage that affects every state in the U.S.”
Ambassadors were selected from a pool of applicants across the state who answered the call for teachers interested in supporting the initiative and helping promote the teaching profession.
They have three goals:
- Communicate with and inspire students in high school and college to consider teaching as a career.
- Communicate with potential and current teachers to positively capture the rewards and opportunities associated with a career in teaching.
- Support and promote the central focus areas, programs and organizations of GoTeachKY, such as Educators Rising and the Teaching and Learning career pathway.
Scherrer said he believes this program will strengthen his impact as an educator.
“Although this is my 16th year as a teacher, I’ve been a learner for much, much longer,” he said. “Being an ambassador in this program will allow me to continue my own growth journey, to discover new perspectives from fellow educators, and to reflect on my own teaching experience.”
He said he is especially excited by the prospect of connecting with colleagues at his home school of Heritage Park High School, as well as fellow educators throughout the Daviess County Public Schools district and across the state. Scherrer also believes his experience at HPHS brings a unique perspective to his role as an ambassador.
“Heritage Park High School is unique in that we serve as the Daviess County Public Schools nontraditional high school,” he said. “As such, we welcome students from all across our district who respond well to the personalized care and attention we provide as a Phoenix family.”
Scherrer continued, “We don’t just teach students, we invest in their lives. It’s that mindset that I hope to represent in my new role for GoTeachKY. All students, at Heritage Park, within DCPS, and across Kentucky, deserve effective and committed teachers who care for the success of their students.”
Scherrer began his teaching career at Owensboro High School in 2005 and was named digital curriculum developer for the Owensboro Public Schools district in 2010 before moving to Owensboro Middle School in 2013. He joined the DCPS district in 2016. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies and secondary education as well as a Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Brescia University.
Scherrer received an education specialist degree from the University of the Cumberlands, where he is currently working toward his doctorate of education. In addition to serving as a 2021 GoTeachKY Ambassador, he is also a KDE “Friend in the Field” mentor for new teachers.
