SJRCC PRESS RELEASE January 2008 SJRCC EPI program illustrates one Ponte Vedra teacher's change of art Being the oldest of five children, Katie Corrigan was often told by her family that she had what it takes to become a teacher; however, it wasn't until the 38-year-old advertising professional became a mother that she learned she could combine her art degree and her nurturing disposition into a teaching career - all with the help of the St. Johns River Community College Educator Preparation Institute. Now well into her first year of teaching art at Palmer Catholic Academy, Corrigan said it has been a worthwhile career change. "It's meaningful and rewarding," Corrigan said. "As a teacher, my day begins with smiling faces ready to learn, and when it ends, I feel like I've made a difference." Corrigan recently completed the EPI program designed to streamline the process for obtaining a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate and turned her bachelor's degree in studio art into a teaching career. The Jacksonville Beach resident said the program took eleven months to complete and provided a class schedule that was a good fit for her busy life. "I don't know how I would have otherwise earned my certification. I didn't want to worry about what to do about daycare," Corrigan said. "I could take the online classes at 3 a.m. if I needed to." "The program gives you credit as a professional when you enter," Corrigan said. "Everyone taking the program and teaching the program is very professional and understands the seriousness behind it." Corrigan said the academy's principal, Linda Earp, initially told her about the EPI program after she began teaching a fifth grade class two years ago on a temporary certification. Corrigan said she was thrilled when the position to teach art to grades kindergarten through eighth became available during the third and final year of her temporary certificate. Earp said Corrigan's positive interaction with the students, background in art, and having her temporary certification led to her current position. Earp said Corrigan's talents go beyond her artistic abilities. "She thinks outside the box, and every one of her projects is hands-on," Earp said. "She gives every child an equal chance to fit in and express their creative talents, regardless of artistic ability. She gives everyone the chance to succeed." SJRCC's Alternative Teacher Certification Program, which is part of the EPI program, entails completing seven courses, passing the three parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam and submitting the required paperwork to the Florida Department of Education. Participants will be awarded a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate upon completion of the program. No other coursework is required, and the program can be completed in less than a year. SJRCC offers the EPI courses online or at SJRCC's Palatka, Orange Park and St. Augustine campuses. In order to participate in the EPI program, applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and possess the disposition suitable for becoming a teacher. SJRCC will hold an EPI informational orientation on February 13 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the St. Augustine Campus. The session is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (386) 312-4242 or e-mail opencampus@sjrcc.edu PHOTO CAPTION: Palmer Catholic Academy art teacher Katie Corrigan integrates a story with the kindergarten class' painting assignment. Corrigan recently completed St. Johns River Community College's Educator Preparation Institute program created to streamline the process for obtaining a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate for bachelor degree holders. Return to SJRCC home page.