With multiple people in her family being teachers, including her parents, Barton Community College Alum Courtney Cook of Ellinwood always knew she wanted to be a teacher, and getting to do that in her hometown has made accomplishing her goal even sweeter.

“I love to see the students grow,” she said. “I love to see their excitement and creativity grow. I had some great teachers growing up. I admit I was not the best student to all my teachers, but those teachers never gave up on me. I admire those teachers the most, and I want to be like them. I want to be that teacher who never gives up on a student and comes to school every day for them.”

While her job is to impart knowledge and teach a curriculum, Cook said building bonds with her students is one of the most rewarding parts.

“I have truly enjoyed teaching concepts and skills and making relationships with the students,” she said. “I learn so much from the students. At the young age of first grade, the first graders love to be at school and love to learn. We celebrate everything. At the end of the day, I hope the students remember me as their teacher and cheerleader. Always supporting them no matter what.” 

Cook said Barton did an amazing job preparing her to transfer to a four-year university.

“Barton built a strong foundation for me,” she said. “When I got to Fort Hays State University, I was very well prepared when it came to background knowledge in my career path.”

Affordability was also a key element of why she chose Barton. Still, she also enjoyed the one-on-one attention she experienced, that it was close to home, and how diverse the student population was.

“I loved that the class sizes were smaller,” she said. “I enjoyed getting to know each of the instructors, and the instructors made an effort to get to know the students. Barton was and still is very reasonable in their tuition. I lived at home to save money and because of the convenience. Additionally, I had no clue Barton Community College had all the culture and different opportunities when they were just down the road. It was really an eye-opener. I met people from all over the world. I met people of different backgrounds, races, and cultures and saw people on different journeys in life. I met some of my best friends there. Just go, you won’t regret it.”

She graduated from Barton in 2022 and will graduate from Fort Hays State University in December of 2025.

For students who are interested in the field of education, Barton also offers the Kansas Board of Regents’ Systemwide Elementary Education Transfer associate degree and the Kansas Department of Education’s Registered Teaching Apprenticeship Model, so there are multiple ways to pursue teaching with a focus on transferability and mentorship.   

For more information, visit education.bartonccc.edu.