When the morning bells ring at Mountain View Elementary School, Susan Allsup-Cotten, ‘09 BA Criminal Justice, walks into her classroom. To her students, she probably looks the same: warm, caring and calm. But for Susan, everything is changing. After working as a substitute teacher for over a decade, she’s now on the path to becoming a licensed teacher with an advanced degree- all without ever leaving her family and community in Elko. 

By this summer, she will be fully certified, thanks to the Nevada Forward Graduate Apprenticeship Program in Teaching, a program helping long-term substitutes like Susan advance in their teaching careers. 

This transformation isn’t only impacting her future for the better – but her students, her school, and her family. 

Finding Purpose in Convenience

“I started subbing for the schedule.”

As a mother of two, Susan needed a job that would allow her to be present in her children’s lives.  What started out as a gig of convenience soon turned into twelve years of purpose and fulfillment, partly due to the teacher shortage in the school district which demanded that she filled in more than often. 

However, once she started, Susan knew she had found her calling and in no time, she had her own classroom. 

“I was meant to be there. There was an amazing connection between me and the students. To know that I could be impactful to my little friends was a great feeling,” she shared.

The Turning Point      

Although Susan had received emails about Nevada Forward’s graduate apprenticeship program from the Elko County School District, carving out time for it felt impossible until her Vice Principal, Jori Martin, nudged her to seize the opportunity. 

“Once I got into the program, I found out it was doable. It has also been good for my kids to see that mom can focus on her school work and she’s taking it seriously.”

Susan also appreciates that she didn’t need to move to Vegas or put her life on pause to be a part of the program. “It was super important to me to stay in Elko. My whole family lives here and moving wasn’t an option.”

Learning At Her Pace

“What I love about the program is that even though it is fast-paced, you can do it at your pace. I am learning so much and it’s not overwhelming”

Susan works full-time and can give her family the attention they need while working towards certification. She checks in with her professors for real-time feedback, and turns in her assignments on time. Even though her learning is online, she feels connected to her classmates.

“I love that we have Zoom meetings every Wednesday. We do group projects and we check in on each other,” Susan said.

A ripple effect

Susan’s journey to licensure has been an empowering experience not just for her but also for her school and the students as her transition brings long-term consistency and stability.   

In addition to experiencing her own success, she has become an unofficial recruiter for the program. “I told my sister-in-law, who works at the neighboring elementary school, that she has to jump on this opportunity.” 

From a substitute teacher to a soon-to-be certified teacher, Susan is proof that transformation  doesn’t always require a big move. Sometimes, all it takes is the courage to say yes to the right opportunity.