It’s all in
prom
“I just knew I had a passion to be with youth, and so I stuck with it,” she says. “I really do enjoy it, and not even specifically teaching them—I do like seeing kids learn—but, really, I want to give value to these kids and show them that there is a safe space and that somebody cares about them.” Timmerman decided to pursue an education degree from Western in part because of the Kalamazoo Promise, a program that provides up to full tuition for all KPS graduates at any Michigan college, trade school or vocational program. Hailey Timmerman can’t help but smile when thinking about the future. “I’m excited and nervous but ready to take on the responsibility of teaching the next generation,” she says. A recent graduate, Timmerman just accepted a summer second grade teaching position at Washington Writers’ Academy in Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS)—the same district she grew up in.
“My sister also convinced me to go to Western because she’s an alum,” she says. “We took a campus tour of Western, and I went specifically with someone in the education field. And they showed me around Sangren Hall, the College of Education (and Human Development) and everything, and that sold it for me. So I decided to come to Western, and I’m very happy with my choice.”
“It is very cool that I’m able to come back to KPS as a teacher. It is a full circle moment,” Timmerman says. “I’m very excited to serve the district that served me. I feel like I can relate to students in KPS in a unique and genuine way because I was once in their shoes.”
During her second year on campus, Timmerman was accepted into the Future Educators Program (FEP), which is a partnership between Western, KPS and the Kalamazoo Promise that is sponsored by the Pickard Family Fund and Advia Credit Union. It provides additional opportunities and support for students in historically marginalized populations pursuing teaching careers.
Timmerman’s educator epiphany came while she was a high school student working her first job with Prevention Works, a Kalamazoo nonprofit organization that teaches programming involving substance use and violence prevention.
“Our faculty advisor for that program supported me so much,” Timmerman says, adding the program also connected her with volunteer opportunities and helped her network with potential employers within local school districts.
