A grant is helping a Mission mother of three get one step closer to becoming a certified special education teacher.

"It has been something that I wanted to do for the longest time,” Evelyn Sackey said.

Originally from South Africa, Sackey has lived in the Rio Grande Valley for six years and has worked as a substitute in special education classrooms.

Sackey said she cares deeply about helping all children succeed.

“I wanted to help each and every child because I know that each child has potential, but we need to help them to reach that potential,” Sackey said

Money prevented her from getting her certification, Sackey said it’s been difficult to save up the money she needed.

Sackey is no longer facing that obstacle. She was awarded a $5,000 grant through Region One Education Service Center's Teacher Alternative Certification Program.

The money was donated to the program by the Mission Economic Development Corporation.

“This is really, really good," Sackey said.

Her journey is just beginning, but Sackey’s story highlights a larger problem in the Valley.

Greg Rodriguez of the Texas American Federation of Teachers said financial programs are needed to address a shortage of certified special education teachers in the area.

“In the Rio Grande Valley, it's getting harder to find educators — particularly in special education — where the demand is much higher in terms of stress and workload,” Rodriguez said. “If teachers aren't certified, they're more likely to burn out because they're not properly equipped to deal with the unique needs of that student population."

Sackey hopes to fill the need quickly, as she starts going to classes soon.

Click here for more information on becoming a certified teacher through the Region One Education Service Center. 

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