ASCC TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM AWARDS NEW SCHOLARSHIPS

By James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer, May 26, 2004

As part of an initiative by the American Samoa Community College to place a greater emphasis on teacher training, twelve lucky Education majors received the first awards in a new scholarship program last week. ASCC’s Teacher Education Program funded the new scholarships through a Teacher Quality Education grant from the Federal government. "The scholarships will help defray the costs of the extra classes these students will take as part of their Teacher Education training," explained program Chairman Mr. Roy Fua.

Over the past two years, Mr. Fua and ASCC Vice President Dr. Seth Galea’i, along with consultants Dr. Vena Sele and Dr. Salu Hunkin, have collaborated to develop the Teacher Education Program, which gives Education majors the opportunity to specialize in classroom management and curriculum development. While at the moment ASCC offers only an Associate of Arts degree in Education, the College hopes to soon make Teacher Education one of its first areas of study to expand into a four-year program towards a Bachelor of Arts degree.

In support of the expanded Teacher Education Program, the College has recently renovated the large building adjacent to the old library on its upper campus. Upon completion of these renovations, the building will contain new offices for the Teacher Education staff, as well as an extensive training area for their classes and other activities. Dr. Galea’i and Mr. Fua have also negotiated with colleges in Hawaii and on the mainland to establish articulation agreements that will allow ASCC graduates from the Teacher Education Program to apply their credits towards higher degrees from these schools, should the graduates wish to further their teaching qualifications.

"We put a lot of work into this program," Mr. Fua reflects. "We still have a ways to go, but we’ve made a lot of exciting progress. We’ve designed this program to give Education majors the most up-to-date training available before they enter American Samoa’s classrooms. We consider this an investment in the future of education here in the Territory."

"This scholarship program reflects the commitment of ASCC and the Board of Higher Education to improving the quality of education on island," adds Dr. Sele. "We hope that the available financial assistance will encourage students here in American Samoa to consider making Education their major in college. I feel grateful that we can reward the most qualified of our current students who have made this commitment to Education."