ASHLAND — Two years ago, Lauren Burgess was fresh out of college and wondering what kind of job she could get with her Spanish and English degrees.

When she started college, Burgess figured she’d be living in a larger city after graduation and could be an interpreter. Instead she moved to Ashland, where there isn’t much demand for such a skill.

And anyway, she was intrigued with the idea of teaching. Having grown up in Ashland, attending Paul G. Blazer and Russell high schools, Burgess had fond memories of the schools here.

What she didn’t have was a teaching degree or certification.

Today she is teaching both Spanish and English at Blazer while studying for her master’s degree in education at Morehead State University.

When she completes her studies and passes the required examination sometime next year, Burgess will be ready to apply for her permanent certification. By then she will have two solid years of classroom teaching under her belt.

She is doing it through the Transition to Teaching program, a federal program to recruit and retain highly qualified people into the profession and to teach in high-need Kentucky school districts in specific subject areas.

The program targets both young recent graduates who didn’t take education courses and mid-career professionals who want to change professions.

The program requires participants to commit to teaching in a high-need district for three years, in a high-need subject.

The requirement meshes with Burgess’ skill and ambition — foreign language teachers are in high demand, for one thing. And the commitment to the Ashland area is no burden; Burgess hopes to stay in the district. “It’s the only place I’d ever want to be,” she said.

While the program is not meant to compete with the path teachers traditionally take, earning their education degrees first, it brings already qualified candidates into the profession, according to Duane Lambert, coordinator for the Master of Arts in Teaching program at Morehead State University.

MSU is one of four Kentucky state universities, along with the private Campbellsville University, participating in the program.

“They already have their content background,” Lambert said. Also, some candidates enter the program from other professions, he said. “A lot of our people come with real experience in the field, authentic experience,” he said.

Those candidates are among the best performers, he said, because it takes a strong commitment to give up a successful career and take up teaching. “There’s a level of commitment that’s just terrific.”

The graduate program includes education courses as well as additional coursework in the candidate’s content area. In addition the candidates either find teaching jobs or undergo a practice teaching practicum.

Most districts will bestow emergency certification for teachers who are in the process of earning their teaching degrees. The certification is good for up to three years.

In Burgess’ case, she was a substitute teacher for a short time and taught a year at Rose Hill Christian School before coming to Blazer. This is her first full year at Blazer.

The immediate immersion in the classroom has been invaluable, she thinks. “You learn so much being in the classroom. You can come in with expectations of what it will be like and you get here and it’s not like that.”

For instance, a teacher can only learn to motivate students by actually doing it, she said.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2652.