The University of North Georgia's (UNG) College of Education held its annual Teacher Candidate Residency Program (TCRP) Boot Camp from June 2-6 at UNG's Gainesville Campus.

In TCRP, seniors are full-time teachers of record with their own classrooms, receiving at least half the salary of a full-time educator. They are ineligible for full salary because they lack a baccalaureate degree. However, they receive benefits, including admission to teacher retirement. Students apply for the program in the fall semester of their junior year and are selected in the spring of their junior year.

Entering TCRP's fourth year, the boot camp provided support to about 40 new teachers ahead of the 2025-26 academic year. They heard from experts in classroom management, special education, time management, and first-year routines and procedures. TCRP program coordinators Angie Gant and Angie Parker organized the boot camp.

"The TCRP Boot Camp is a critical piece of the foundation of our support for teacher candidates," Dr. Carly Womack-Wynne, department head of Middle Grades, Secondary & Science Education and interim associate dean for accreditation and assessment in the College of Education, said. "This introduction to classroom life provides a network of people and resources geared to ensure the success of each participant."

Hope Patterson, a Cornelia, Georgia, resident, became a student at UNG so she could shift careers from working the full-time night shift at a hospital. Pursuing a degree in middle grades education, the senior will teach seventh-grade and eighth-grade English language arts at South Habersham Middle School this fall through TCRP.

"I've always wanted to be a teacher, but I knew the traditional route was not for me. I could not go a year without pay," Patterson said. "I have three kids. I have responsibilities."

Patterson appreciated the chance to hear from an array of speakers who gave insights on how to successfully lead a classroom.

"This boot camp provides some tools in my back-pocket," Patterson said. "It's been a good opportunity to learn things we didn't know."

Dakota Malcom, a senior from Commerce, Georgia, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a major in physics, will teach physical science at Johnson High School starting this fall through TCRP. He said the speakers at the boot camp shared their experiences and inspired UNG's resident teachers.

"They instilled that confidence we need to go into the classroom and shared best practices," Malcom said.

Ava Collins, a senior from Cohutta, Georgia, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, will teach kindergarten at Gainesville Exploration Academy through TCRP. It's the same place she did a field placement as a junior.

Collins' motivation for becoming a teacher came down to impact.

"I've always wanted to do something in life that's going to make a difference," Collins said. "I thought about how I could make the most difference in an abundance of lives."

Timothy Adair, a senior from Newnan, Georgia, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, will teach at Tadmore Elementary School in Hall County through TCRP. Like Collins, he sees teaching as an avenue to assist others.

"The best way to help people is to give them a great education," Adair said.

Julianna O'Dell, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, has worked as a paraprofessional at Sardis Elementary School in Hall County for eight years. During her TCRP year, she will have her own classroom as a fifth-grade teacher at Sardis.

As a full-time employee who needed flexibility, O'Dell said UNG's faculty and staff have supported her every step of the way. The TCRP Boot Camp was simply the latest instance of providing what she needed.

"It's been nice to have education experts here where we can ask them questions," O'Dell said. "It's also allowed us to put names and faces together with other members of our cohort."

TCRP resident teachers have accepted jobs at 27 schools in Gainesville City Schools and the Banks, Habersham, Forsyth, Barrow, Jackson, Stephens, and Hall county school systems.

Dr. Paula Tench, department head and associate professor of Elementary and Special Education, said TCRP Boot Camp provides the teachers with strategies for success, but the support doesn't end there.

"Once the school year begins, we have required monthly meetings to provide support to help students deal with potential challenges they may face," Tench said.