LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Each year Lake County’s Division 35 of the California Retired Teachers Association, or CalRTA, awards scholarships to local students pursuing a California Teaching Credential.

The Aspiring Teachers Scholarship is given to student teachers who are teaching full-time while attending classes through the Lake County Office of Education’s “Be A Teacher” program.

The “Be A Teacher” program provides training, coaching, mentorship and affordable certification pathways to support permit teachers and teacher credentialing.

“Division 35 is pleased to support the development of teachers in Lake County,” according to Dick Bode, treasurer and scholarship chairperson.

Bode announced in December of 2020 that scholarships were received by Brittany Rumfelt and Jessica Lauwers.

Rumfelt, a Clear Lake High School graduate, is teaching fifth grade at Lower Lake Elementary School.

Lauwers teaches transitional kindergarten also at Lower Lake Elementary School. Both are in their third year of the Lake County Office of Education’s training program.

CalRTA Division 35 also sponsors a scholarship for aspiring teachers through the Clearlake campus of Woodland Community College.

District 35 also lends support to local educators by awarding five $200 mini-grants for materials used in their classroom to benefit students. These recipients will be announced soon.