Grow Your Own at KCC

Did You Know?

Grow Your Own at the Kennedy Children’s Center is the first and only Registered Apprenticeship Program in New York State training aspiring educators for the field of early childhood special education.

We proudly train teacher assistants, teachers, and school administrators in partnership with the New York State Department of Labor—enabling motivated adults with just a high school diploma to enter the education pipeline and grow into tomorrow’s leaders.

Our Impact

  • 405 adults have graduated from GYO 1.0, our Teacher Assistant Training program, since it was established in 2017

  • Approximately 70% of GYO 1.0 graduates secured a job in education within 3 months of completing the program

  • We are currently supporting 30 college students pursuing an AA, BA, or MA in early childhood special education

  • 20 of our GYO program participants are registered as apprentices with the NYS Department of Labor

Hear from past and current GYO participants about how the program has impacted their lives

 

Read about Grow Your Own in the news

 

gROW yOUR oWN 1.0

Our teacher assistant certification program will help you gain the necessary skills to manage a classroom

Grow Your own 2.0

An extension of GYO 1.0, certified teaching assistants who aspire to be full time teachers, receive financial support from our GYO 2.0 program.


Support GYO at KCC

Grow Your Own is made possible by the generosity of our donor community.
You can make a real difference in the lives of children, families, and early childhood professionals by donating today.

Grow Your Own is possible thanks to:

The Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation

New York Community Trust

The Pinkerton Foundation

The New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA)

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York

The TD Charitable Foundation

Paycom

NFP

The Ichigo Foundation

The New York State Department of Labor

The Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development