Twice a week, Centennial High School (CeHS) student Izabella Myers travels to Oasis Elementary School to gain practical experience in a seventh-grade classroom alongside one of Peoria Unified’s certified teachers. Myers is not a teacher’s assistant; she’s a future educator. Under the guidance of mentor teacher Jennifer Cervenka, Myers is developing the skills every educator needs, from lesson planning to classroom management.
As a freshman at CeHS, Myers enrolled in the first course of Education Professions, a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program — one of 24 CTE programs offered in Peoria Unified — that prepares students for careers in education. Inspired by her former teachers at Oasis, Myers set out to take the Education Professions course as she plans to pursue a career as a teacher. The Education Professions program is accelerating her journey into the profession, and she’s not alone.
Each year, more than 190 high school students are enrolled in an Education Professions program, preparing them for a career in education. Students gain hands-on experience through classroom instruction, mentorship and work-based learning opportunities on elementary campuses across the district. During the 2025-26 school year, Education Professions students logged nearly 8,000 hours of work-based learning experience.
As Myers advances into Education Professions II, under the leadership of 15-year educator and CeHS Education Professions teacher Roxane Winston, she will go from two days of working with students in the classroom to three. Students in this course are expected to develop and deliver two structured lessons and are evaluated during a classroom visit by Winston. After the second course, students can then take the Education Professions Internship, a paid experience, to build even more experience in the classroom and in front of students.
Myers’ experience reflects a growing pathway that is helping students across Peoria Unified explore careers in education before they graduate.
The impact of the Education Professions program is visible, extending beyond high school. Many former Education Professions students have gone on to earn teaching degrees and return to Peoria Unified classrooms as educators. Their journeys are a powerful example of the district’s grow-your-own approach to strengthening the future educator workforce. As high school students complete the Education Professions program, more than 145 Paraeducator Certifications are earned, demonstrating the essential knowledge, practical strategies and professional readiness they need to confidently take their first steps into the education workforce.
After completing the Education Professions program and graduating from high school, graduates who enroll in a teacher preparation program at a college or university can then remain employed with Peoria Unified as an instructional assistant while they work toward becoming a certified educator. As completers of Peoria Unified’s Education Professions program, and after completing the teacher preparation program at a college or university, these former students are then guaranteed a job interview for a teaching position in Peoria Unified. If hired, they will receive additional compensation on top of their base salary for participating in the district’s grow-your-own program.
“When Izabella came into the program and asked to come over to Oasis, I was very excited to have her join. She has come over and helped with vocabulary building, writing and has jumped in with helping the kids,” shared Cervenka as she reflected on how the Education Professions program is preparing Myers for a future career in the classroom. An alumnus of Cactus High School in Peoria Unified, Cervenka chose to become an educator because of her love of working with students and the educational experience provided by Peoria Unified.
As the education profession celebrates National Be A Teacher Day, learn more about Peoria Unified’s nationally recognized Education Professions CTE program at www.peoriaunified.org/cte.
Myers’ advice to a student unsure about pursuing a career in education: “Go do it! It’s a good experience… I definitely recommend it!”