Schools in economically marginalized areas often have a disproportionate number of low-performing or ineffective teachers and face challenges in recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers. The grow your own (GYO) model recruits and trains recent high school graduates and school employees who are interested in becoming classroom teachers. The research questions were: (1) To what extent do APSU [Austin Peay State University] GYO program graduates' first-year observation scores differ from the first-year observation scores of the other elementary school teachers? (2) To what extent do APSU GYO program graduates perceive their preparedness after their first year of teaching? and (3) How do APSU GYO graduates describe the program components and activities that supported their first-year teaching proficiency? This mixed methods study took place at a 4-year public university in the southeastern United States with a new GYO teacher residency program. Participants were 24 graduates of the inaugural GYO program who had completed their first year of teaching. Annual observation scores were determined through district records. A closed- and open-ended survey provided information on participants' perceptions of their teaching proficiency as well as program components and activities. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, a Mann-Whitney "U" test, and thematic analysis. Findings indicated that the mean observation scores of GYO program graduates were significantly higher than their peers, program graduates who had been teacher assistants rated their preparedness for teaching higher compared to the recent high school graduates, and graduates attributed their first-year teaching proficiency to the GYO program components and activities related to lesson planning, instructional practices, classroom environment, professional growth, as well as the influence of program personnel. Implications for practice include expanding the program, with a particular focus on recruiting former teacher assistants; increasing coursework and activities related to students with disabilities; and maintaining the educator pipeline facilitator role. Implications for research include analyzing differences in the four domains that comprise the annual observation score, exploring the reasons for the discrepancies in perceptions of preparedness between recent graduates and former teacher assistants, and linking preparedness with annual observation scores as well as to grade levels taught and school location. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]