First Round of Grow Your Own Educator Fund Awards to Strengthen Local Education Workforce

~Funding supports 15 educators across Routt County pursuing advanced degrees and teaching licenses to further careers~

The Yampa Valley Community Foundation (YVCF), in partnership with Routt County’s school districts, is proud to announce the first round of awards from the “Grow Your Own” Routt County Educator Advancement and Recruitment Fund, a collaborative initiative helping local current and aspiring educators advance their careers in education. The first round of Grow Your Own Educator recipients represents a wide range of career stages, experiences, and goals, and a shared commitment to serving Routt County students. the fifteen educators from the Steamboat Springs School District, North Routt Community Charter School, Hayden School District, and South Routt School District have received individual awards ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 to support their continued education. The total amount of funding for Grow Your Own Educator recipients is $77,373. “This fund is a great example of what we can achieve when our community comes together to solve challenges,” said Traci Hiatt, Director of Philanthropy at YVCF. “By investing in local educators, we’re strengthening the workforce that supports our students and families every day. This collaboration across school districts reflects the spirit of what YVCF stands for—being a convener that brings people together to create lasting impact.”

Empowering Local Educators to Grow

Launched in May of this year with an initial $50,000 gift matched by additional donations from community members, the Grow Your Own Educator Fund helps local school districts recruit and retain high-quality educators by providing financial assistance to staff pursuing professional credentials, licensure, or advanced degrees. The Grow Your Own Educator Fund was established in partnership with five public school entities in Routt County: Steamboat Springs School District, Hayden School District, South Routt School District, North Routt Community Charter School, and Steamboat Montessori. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to long-term sustainability in education. Employees who receive Grow Your Own funding commit to serving in their district for at least three years, ensuring a strong return on investment for local schools and students.

Applications for Grow Your Own Educator funding are open and reviewed on a rolling basis. Click here to fill out a Grow Your Own Educator application. Applicants must be currently employed by one of the Routt County public school entities.

Soroco's Grow Your Own Educator Fund recipient - Isabel Szeibert

After years of leading outdoor education expeditions across five continents and working remotely on curriculum development, Isabel sought a deeper connection to the Oak Creek community. She jumped at the chance to return to working with high school students and is now in her first year teaching English at Soroco High School.

With support from the Grow Your Own Educator Fund, Isabel is earning her alternative teaching license through NW CO BOCES.

“It’s been a game-changer,” she said. “Affording a pathway into education would have been difficult without this program.”

Mrs. S' bio:

Isabel Szeibert is in her first year teaching English at Soroco High School in the South Routt School District. Before entering the classroom, she spent five years leading high school students on outdoor education expeditions across five continents and later worked in curriculum development for tech companies. While living in Oak Creek and working remotely, she was missing a sense of community.

When she saw the English position open at Soroco, she immediately jumped at the opportunity to return to working with high school students and make a more direct impact on the community. Now, through support from the Grow Your Own Educator Fund, Szeibert is earning her alternative teaching license through NW CO BOCES.

“It’s definitely been a game-changer in making this transition,” she said. “I already had a master’s degree, so affording a pathway into education would have been difficult without this program.”

Returning to work with high school students feels natural for Szeibert. “The camaraderie and energy of this age group feel familiar,” she said. “It’s rewarding to be back with students every day and see them grow.” Just three months into teaching at Soroco High School, she already feels more rooted in her community than ever before. She has felt incredibly welcomed into the South Routt School District and is excited to continue building her career at Soroco High School.

Help us spread the word about supporting the South Routt Education Endowment Fund this Yampa Valley Gives Day.

The South Routt Education Endowment raises funds to directly benefit all students who attend the K-12 schools in Oak Creek and Yampa. The endowment is growing with a balance of over $500,000 and is well on the way to reaching our $1,000,000 goal.

South Routt Education Endowment Fund - Yampa Valley Community Foundation (yvcf.org)

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A HUGE thank you to our community for valuing our students eductaion and the staff who teach them. Yes on 5A was passed @ a 79% success rate, allowing our district to continue to work hard to keep our wages competitive with our neighboring districts!

For the third year in a row, the South Routt School District has been Accredited with Distinction. Our exceptional scores in CMAS, PSAT, and SAT state testing the District have placed us in the top 9% of the all districts in the state of Colorado. The learning that takes place in all of our classes contributes to our students' success. Our PK-5 classes, Ag, Band, Industrial Arts, and Art classes in addition to tested areas all contribute to developing our SOROCO students.  We are proud of our students, teachers, and staff for once again earning this distinction and we strive to be the best small school district in Colorado!

~Dr. Henwood