Deborah Stephens, a former Pine Grove teacher, has signed on with the Louisiana Leaders Fellows Program to work towards becoming an administrator.

Only 21 individuals were chosen for the first go-around of the program, Stephens was the only teacher from Morehouse Parish.

On Aug. 19, the chosen teachers met with Gov. Bobby Jindal on the seventh floor of the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s library to recognize the teachers.

“I went to give her support,” Superintendent Tom Thrower said. “We are excited about one of ours being chosen.”

Stephens will go through training in the program for one year. She started July 1, 2008 to July 30, 2009.

During the first semester of the 2008 - 2009 school term, Stephens will work at Southside Elementary School. Her second semester will be at Beekman Junior High School.

“They pay her a salary and stipend if she serves her internship at two schools,” Thrower said. “I choose these two principals so she could learn some things from them. I think they will be good mentors for her. She needed diversity in schools; she’s not used to junior high.”

The program will help Stephens to become a certified educational leader. She will have training as a principal, assistant principal or district leader for Louisiana schools in hopes of providing kindergarten through twelfth grade with bold, innovative leadership for a world-class education system that supports higher achievement for all students, eliminates the achievement gap and prepares students to be effective citizens in a global marketplace.