Danville Schools
Photo courtesy of Danville Independent Schools
This year, Danville High School launched a new opportunity for students interested in the education field: the Teaching and Learning Pathway. This program gives high school students real-world experience in teaching while creating meaningful connections with younger students.
A key component of the curriculum is a weekly visit to Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School, where DHS students participate in the “Lunch Bunch” program. Through these weekly visits, high school students sit with elementary students during lunch, providing mentorship, support and a welcoming presence. As the year has progressed, the program has expanded beyond simple conversations into structured social-emotional lessons, helping young students navigate their feelings while building trust with their mentors.
Alyssa Dilbeck, a junior at DHS, said the experience has been rewarding for her.
“Their faces light up, and they have so much to tell us,” she said. “Every week, I look forward to spending time with the kids. I always leave Toliver in a better mood — the kids’ joy is so contagious.”
Sophomore June Goodwin voiced similar opinions, explaining how the bonds with the younger students have strengthened over time.
“Going to Toliver for Lunch Bunch gives me something to look forward to in my week, and it’s so encouraging seeing how much it means to the kids when we get to meet,” she said. “At first, it was just about making them comfortable with us, but now we’ve started doing social-emotional lessons to help them understand more about their emotions.”
The impact of the Teaching and Learning pathway goes beyond the elementary students — it also helps DHS participants develop essential leadership and mentorship skills. It provides an early look into the realities of teaching, allowing students to explore whether education is the right career path for them.
Lois Sepahban, the DHS library media specialist and teaching pathway instructor, emphasized the importance of this opportunity.
“Taking even just one class in the Teaching and Learning Pathway offers students a chance to see classrooms from a new perspective,” she explained. “They get to judge whether or not teaching is the right career choice for them, which is an opportunity most future educators don’t get until college.”
The program is steadily growing, with more students showing interest in joining next year. In addition to Lunch Bunch, pathway students participate in college visits and service projects, such as the Anchor Tree Fundraiser they conducted in November (a food drive for Danville families in need). The ultimate goal of the pathway is to inspire a new generation of educators while strengthening the connection between Danville High School and the greater community.
Sepahban explains, “I hope that the students who are in the Teaching and Learning Pathway in high school will one day be my colleagues, teaching Danville students, passionate about Danville Schools— educating the next generation of Kentucky’s children.”