Sophomores explore options at career center
Megan Grimm, early childhood education instructor, greets the River View sophomore class at the career center visitation day, along with her student assistants, Taylor Haarman and Samantha Burris.
COSHOCTON – Sophomores from all over the district had the opportunity to explore the many programs that are offered by the Coshocton County Career Center on Thursday, Dec. 7. Twelve programs were offered throughout the day so that potential future career center students could have the chance to experience what each program had to offer.
The process started last month when Brian Crilow, director of Coshocton C.A.R.E.S. visited each high school in the district and met with sophomore students to share information about the sophomore visiting day and to discuss all the programs offered at the career center. Students were then able to choose three different programs to visit during their visitation day.
“What we’re trying to do is provide information about the programs and show what kids do here at the career center on a daily basis who choose to attend here,” said Crilow. “Students have so many choices nowadays and we wanted them to see what happens here so that they can weigh in on those decisions and what’s right for them.”
Instructors in each of the 12 programs as well as junior and senior assistants guided sophomores throughout the day in each of their three program choices. Each session lasted about 45 minutes.
When students arrived, they received a packet filled with information about the career center and a survey they could take at the end of the day about their experiences at the center. After a brief introduction from Doug Nagle, school guidance counselor, the students were off to explore each of their three choice programs. About 350 to 375 sophomores participated in the visitation day.
Students also have the ability to take tech programs only at the career center for half a day or they can take both their academic and tech programs for the whole day.
“This day is an awareness of what happens at the career center,” said Nagle. “I always ask at the beginning how many of you have never been in the career center and it’s phenomenal how many hands go up.”
Nagle said the parents of the students who attended the career center in the past are always amazed at how much the career center has changed over the years.
“We’re in our 40th year and the change we’ve had here over those 40 years is phenomenal,” he said. “We have had employers call us and ask specifically for our students at the career center. You’ve got to have a skill these days and bring value to a company.”
He said the day’s success has been a team effort.
“It’s been a great day,” he said. “I really appreciate the home school counselors. They help tremendously in choosing the best path for each student.”
Ed Dovenbarger, principal, said that most students nowadays are choosing to go into the workforce first and use their income to help pay for college, and the career center is helping them to prepare to enter the workforce and still continue their education.
“Our goal today is to let sophomores know there are lots of options out there for them as a career-path graduate,” he said. “A lot of students aren’t even college-bound when they graduate. There are a lot of students who go directly into the workforce after high school.”
Dovenbarger has been at the career center for 35 years.
“This is their school,” said Dovenbarger. “The career center belongs to the citizens of this county. We never want a student to say they’ve never attended the career center because they never checked it out, they never knew it was an option.”
On Tuesday, Dec. 12, both the sophomores and the parents were invited back to the career center for SPIN night where parents could check out the programs offered at the center as well.
“Hopefully they come back next Tuesday night with their parents so they can check it out,” said Dovenbarger. “A lot of their parents know about the career center already, but they need to come and check it out even if they went here because a lot has changed.”
Samantha Burris, junior, and Taylor Haarman, senior, were helping with Mrs. Grimm’s early education class during the sophomore visitation day.
“What I like about the career center is this school is easy-going,” said Burris. “It’s a lot easier than my home school high school. Teachers here treat you like you’re an adult, not a kid. You’re also working with what you want to do when you get older. The day’s been going by a lot quicker than I thought it would. When we’re talking to students about why they should pick this, I almost feel like I’m the teacher, so it gives you some experience being a teacher.”
Haarman enjoys working with children at the career center.
“I like getting involved with the kids and watching them grow and learn,” she said. “I learn so many new things and the teachers are more involved with you. It’s more one-on-one.”
Nagle hoped that the sophomores were able to see all the positives the career center has to offer and that they would enjoy their day.
“I want to make today meaningful, informative, and maybe a little bit fun,” he said.
Category: Education
