IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — A unique program at Irondequoit High School aims to alleviate a growing teacher shortage by introducing high schoolers to teaching before college; planting the seed for success.

News10NBC’s Eriketa Cost interviewed one of the program’s first students, Maggie Vay, now a teacher in the district. 

Vay, a 2019 grad, is a special education teacher and co-teaches in a ICT classroom (Integrated Co-Teaching).

“Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I used to make my sister play school with me at home,” Vay said.

“We actually got to go see Mrs. Swanson in third grade at Brookview, she still teaches there, she welcomed us into our classroom, we got to practice lessons,” Vay said. “It really helped that I was able to do that with Mrs. Swanson and her class. I got a feel for West Irondequoit, and then on all my college breaks I was able to sub in West Irondequoit …it really made me feel like I was part of this family from the beginning,” Vay said.

The program still exists today, with a new teacher under the name “Art of Teaching.” 

It’s led by Alissa-Anne Georges, who spoke with News10NBC during her social studies class Tuesday.

“My supervisor came to me knowing how much I love teaching, and asked me if I wanted to be the teacher and I was ecstatic about it,” Georges said.

The goal is, students will patch up a nationwide staffing crisis. The hope is, they’ll get their first job here. 

“Statistics say New York State will be short 180,000 teachers in the next 10 years, just in New York State. Teaching is a profession I often say to my future educators, is somewhat dying,” Georges said.

But all it takes is one person to set off that spark, inspiring a future educator.

For Vay and Georges, it was their mothers.

“My mom’s a teacher at Rogers [Middle School] in the district, and I think just having her as a great role model really pushed me to be a teacher,” Vay said.

“Unfortunately my mom has passed away,” said Georges. “I still have her podium in here. She’s a part of my life every day, and I remember walking into her class and feeling like, ‘Wow! This is what success looks like.'”

A plaque in Mrs. Georges classroom says it all: “Bloom where you’re planted.” And these classrooms, certainly plant the seed.

*A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News 10 uses A.I.*