By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City High School teacher J.B. Suiter has been chosen to participate in the 2020 Class of WestTeach.
Suiter will become the third UC School System teacher in as many years to be involved in the program for West Tennessee teachers that builds links with industry and community leaders.
In all, 18 teachers from 13 West Tennessee counties will be represented in this year’s class that will provide those participants an out-of-the-classroom view of students’ lives from community child resource agents.
UCHS Principal Jacob Cross nominated and endorsed Suiter – who also serves as the school’s head softball coach and has spent five of his 13 years in the education system at Union City — for the program.
WestTeach’s official mission is “to engage and equip West Tennessee teachers with tools and leadership skills for success in and outside the classroom.”
The development program and workshop series were founded in 2017 by The University of Tennessee at Martin’s WestStar Leadership program as an extension of its mission to equip West Tennessee’s community leaders with skills and tools needed to support the region.
All teachers who applied to participate in the program were asked to get a recommendation letter from either their principal or director of schools to complete the application form.
A variety of topics is on the agenda for this year’s class, including:
West Tennessee Agriculture – Aug. 27 (Martin)
Entrepreneurship in West Tennessee – Aug. 28 (Union City)
The Humanity of Leadership – Sept. 23 (Jackson)
Creating Partnership for Economic Development – Oct. 22 (Dyersburg)
Industry Tours/Building Communities – Nov. 19 (Brownsville)
A class graduation banquet will be held Dec. 17.
Sponsors of the program include Alexander, Thompson & Arnold, LLC; Security Bank, Dyersburg; SIC Management; TRANE Company, Tennessee District; and West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation.