CHICAGO — Applications are due soon for Golden Apple’s newly launched scholarship program in Michigan.

Targeted toward high school seniors as well as freshman and sophomore college students, the program provides up to $15,000 in financial assistance, extensive classroom teaching experience, job placement support, and mentoring throughout every step of a person’s journey to become a full-time teacher.

The application deadline is Monday, April 1. Program details are available at https://www.goldenapple.org/scholars-michigan.

Michigan faces a teacher shortage crisis. A report from the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative shows that in the 2022-2023 school year, Michigan schools experienced nearly 1,800 full-time teaching vacancies.

The Golden Apple Scholars Program is focused on recruiting high school seniors through sophomores in college, from communities in which they will likely return to serve, as highly effective teachers in schools-of-need.

The program in Michigan builds upon more than 30 years of similar efforts in Illinois, where the program has consistently improved teacher retention rates. The program expanded to New Mexico in 2022 and is accepting applications for its third cohort.

The Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching is a leading nonprofit committed to preparing, supporting, and mentoring aspiring teachers.

“We aspire to a day where every single Michigan student is taught by a great teacher, and we believe the Scholars program can help contribute to the work being done in the state to make that vision a reality,” said Alan Mather, president of Golden Apple.