Superintendent Ziggy Robeson of the Ripon Unified School District will be one of the guest speakers at the TEACH! Academy press conference on Friday.

That’s the new early college high school program – a joint effort by the San Joaquin County Office of Education, Venture Academy Family of Schools, Teachers College of San Joaquin, and Delta College – is designed to give local students a direct, affordable pathway into the teaching profession.

Robeson serves on the advisory board of TEACH! Academy.

The inaugural program kicked off this year with 26 freshmen taking classes at the Teachers College of San Joaquin campus at SJCOE, 2721 Transworld Drive, Stockton.

TEACH! Academy has been a year in the making and made possible by a variety of grants, according to SJCOE spokesman Zack Johnson.

“There’s a great need for teachers throughout the state,” he said.

Plans call for the program to expand each year, with a new grade being added per grade level in order to accommodate more students.

The media event will be held outdoors, as part of the COVID-19 safety protocols, in front of the Teachers College of San Joaquin beginning at 10 a.m.

Robeson will be on hand along with SJCOE Superintendent of Schools Troy Brown, San Joaquin A+ CEO Don Shalvey, Teachers College of San Joaquin President Diane Carnahan, TEACH! Academy coordinator Megan Filice, and students Rudy Serrano and Talia Godfrey to speak on behalf of the program.

Students in TEACH! Academy, in addition to having an inside track towards a career in education, will make possible free associate degrees from Delta College by the time they graduate.

They’ll also have an affordable pathway towards completing their bachelor’s degree in education at Humphreys University while earning their teaching credential through the Teachers College of San Joaquin.