July 1, 2025

This piece is sponsored by Dakota State University.

Some people are just meant to be teachers, even if they take nontraditional paths to make it to the classroom.

Jennifer Buechler grew up in schoolrooms as her mom was a kindergarten teacher for four decades.

“The smell of crayons and freshly waxed gym floors still brings so much excitement every school year,” Buechler said. She is a paraprofessional and had been thinking about advancing her career when a new state program was created.

The Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway program provides ways to help paraprofessionals, also known as teacher aides, advance their education so they can teach in classrooms of their own. With hundreds of open teaching positions in the state, this is a critical workforce need.

TAP is a partnership among the Department of Education, Department of Labor & Regulation, Board of Regents, Governor’s Office, Dakota State University and Northern State University that was created in 2023. The students, called Tappers, can transfer their work experience and earn academic credits to finish their education as a teacher, filling that workforce gap. Dakota State educates students to work in elementary grades and special education; Northern State works with students to become secondary education teachers.

For Buechler, “the timing couldn’t have been better, and I am so grateful.”

She was nominated for the program by the Tea Area School District, where she works, and had started the program when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She said the best advice she received was a recommendation to start a treatment plan while continuing to live her life and chase her dreams, despite the obstacle.

There is a quote that stuck with her from The Last Lecture, a speaking event by former Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch, who said: “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

She is learning that the important thing is to persevere through adversity and use it as motivation to keep going after your goals, which for her is the TAP program.

Danielle Startz faced a different brick wall. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from DSU but found herself searching for a more fulfilling career path.

“Teaching was never really on my radar, and I didn’t know I would be interested in it,” she said.

But a family friend suggested that Startz explore opportunities at the local school. She went in to ask some questions and ended up leaving with a paraprofessional job. It was “the direct impact I had on students, especially in one-on-one settings, that truly shaped my perspective on the power of education,” Startz said.

A more permanent shift in her interest was encouraged by the principal and superintendent at the Bon Homme School District. “They persistently approached me, asking if I had ever thought about being a teacher.” They mentioned the TAP program, so “after a lot of thinking and talking with my husband, I realized that I do have the qualities to become a great teacher and mentor for these students.”

Both Tappers agree the program is intense.

Initially, Startz asked herself “What did I get myself into?” She found that “this program demands complete commitment, and I’ve often had to sacrifice sleep and personal time.” She typically balances an 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. workday followed by schoolwork from 5 p.m. to 10 or 11 most nights. She continues on with the program because she recognizes the critical need for dedicated and motivated educators.

For Buechler, the community aspect of the program is amazing.

“The built-in community support has helped me through the hard days. From our mentors, advisers, professors and fellow colleagues cheering us on, we aren’t alone on this journey,” she said.

Tuition support is provided through Department of Labor grants and a new scholarship through the Start Today SD apprenticeship program. Both Buechler and Startz have been awarded $2,800 in financial support through the National Apprentice Fund, a $2 million initiative by Jobs for the Future supported by Google.org, to address financial barriers faced by apprentices in registered apprenticeship programs.

“As a full-time student this summer, I chose not to take on a part-time job so I could dedicate my full attention to my studies, and this scholarship has provided crucial support for my regular monthly bills,” Startz said.

The scholarship also is instrumental in covering significant expenses such as Praxis exams and the Advanced Student Teacher permit from the state of South Dakota, along with the financial burden of textbooks and tuition.

“This scholarship means everything,” Buechler said. “I am a single mom of two boys, taking a full course load of classes this summer while continuing treatment for breast cancer.”

She anticipates completing the program in December and has a goal of being a certified special education teacher in middle or high school at the Tea district.

Startz expects to finish the program in the summer of 2026 but is already seeing benefits.

“This program has truly accelerated my career in the best way. My school district has offered me a full-time special education teacher position starting in the fall of 2025.”

She hopes that by taking this pathway to a new career, she can show others that it’s not about the number of years someone has in the field but about their dedication and motivation to help children.