OUR STORIES

After 15 years in the corporate world, Katie Demo realized something was missing. Armed with a degree in business, she had spent over a decade and a half navigating the corporate landscape, but she found herself questioning where she truly wanted to invest her time and energy. “There are challenges in every role, no matter what you do,” Katie reflects. “If I was going to spend at least eight hours a day facing challenges, I wanted them to be meaningful. For me, nothing is more worthwhile than shaping young lives.” That realization led Katie to pursue a career in education. Initially, she considered a traditional path—going back to school for her master’s degree. However, when life circumstances made that difficult, she searched for alternative routes. That’s when she discovered Christel House’s IndyTeach, a residency-based teacher licensure program that provides hands-on classroom experience alongside mentorship. 

IndyTeach is an alternative teacher preparation program unlike any other. Through the program, apprentice teachers gain invaluable experience in the field of education, while working alongside a mentor teacher. Over the course of a year-long paid apprenticeship, IndyTeach apprentices undergo three key stages of transitional development to gain the knowledge and skills of a practicing teacher.  Upon completion of the program and passage of the PRA exams, apprentices qualify for an Indiana Teaching License.  “I loved it even more than the traditional route of getting a master’s,” Katie shares. “In a classroom, things don’t always go perfectly, and having a mentor teacher to guide me in real time was invaluable. I wasn’t just learning theory—I was applying it every single day.” She’s right where she wanted to be: in a kindergarten classroom at Christel House Indianapolis – Academy West. While the transition from corporate life to teaching was an adjustment, the support she received made all the difference. “I felt like I had a ton of support—from my mentor teacher, my program advisors, fellow kindergarten and first-grade teachers, and the school’s leadership. I never felt alone,” she says. Now in her first year as a teacher, Katie remains passionate about working with young learners. “Yes, some days you think, ‘Oh my goodness, kindergarteners!’ But then you also think, ‘Oh my goodness, the hugs, the lightbulb moments, and the incredible growth I get to witness.’ We just got our class pictures back, and I was struck by how much my students have grown in just seven or eight months. Being a part of that journey is amazing.” 

 The IndyTeach program has received national accreditation through 2031 by the Association for Advancing Quality in Education Preparation. Click here to learn more about the IndyTeach program.