Grow Our Own Scholarship Program

When a news reporter asked our founder Mary Cariola what she would have done differently in her lifetime, she responded, “I would have gone to college—education is so important.”

Taking Mary’s comments to heart, the agency has made a concerted effort to raise designated funds specifically for the purpose of providing staff the opportunity to further their careers through additional education. As the need for staff development continues to be a high priority, the Agency has established a program known as “Grow Our Own,” which provides teacher aides, teacher assistants and teachers, as well as nurses and clinical staff, with certification and scholarship support. This effort helps in the recruitment and retention of good, qualified educators and clinicians, both of which are in short supply.

Since 2015, the “Grow Our Own” Staff Development program at Mary Cariola Center has supported employees at all levels and across all programs within the agency, with the pursuit of certifications and degrees to advance their career. The program was initially started to support teacher aides in earning their NY State Teacher Assistant certification. It has grown to support staff pursuing NY State certification in Special Education as well as those pursuing clinical degrees and advanced certifications to support their work at Cariola.

Each year, we have staff returning to school to obtain their Teacher Assistant or Teacher Certification, Behavior Analyst Certification, or Social Work licensure, to name a few. In addition to helping cover the cost of each of these opportunities, we have established partnerships with local colleges for tuition reductions and have teamed up with Roberts Wesleyan University and Monroe Community College to create designated scholarships for Mary Cariola employees.

Over 360 staff members have received support through the Grow Our Own program since 2015.