THOMASVILLE- Thomas County Central High School seniors Shelby Wilbourn and Alexandria “Alex” Kantner recently signed their Sullivan Scholar contracts with Valdosta State University.
The Valdosta Sullivan Scholars Program, or VSSP, is a cohort teacher education program that provides a teaching degree from VSU. VSSP strives to prepare students to teach in rural and/or Title 1 Georgia schools. The full-ride scholarship includes tuition, room and board, books, fees, and a small stipend per semester. Ruby Sullivan, a VSU education graduate and 67-year educator who dedicated her life to teaching students in impoverished rural Georgia schools, created VSSP in honor of her late son, John.
Wilbourn and Kantner are TCCHS Early Childhood Education pathway completers and work as ECE Work-Based Learning paid interns this year. Teacher and adviser Delisa Barrow said these young ladies are the epitome of the perfect educator because they are responsible and caring, love working with young children, and express joy whenever a student in their care feels successful.