Vocational Career Opportunities Numerous at Wakulla High School

prleonwakullapartner 275.gif Vocational Education, now under the name of Career and Technical Education (CTE), has long thrived at Wakulla High School. Students are prepared for both careers and college when they participate in one of the eight programs offered at Wakulla High School. Also, there are numerous other programs available to them at Lively Technical Center, with courses paid for by the Wakulla County School District.

Wakulla’s partnership with Leon County’s Lively Technical Center has been positive over the years. During the 2007-2008 school year, Lively funded three instructors to teach on the WHS campus in the Carpentry, Criminal Justice Assisting, and TV Productions programs.

With cutbacks due to the economy, at first Lively had to cut its three WHS programs for the 2008-2009 school year. But Wakulla County Superintendent David Miller initiated a compromise with Leon County Superintendent Jackie Pons to protect the programs. Now all three programs are saved with the cost being split between the two districts.

“In essence, we are getting three teachers for the cost of one and a half,” stated Superintendent Miller. “Criminal Justice has been one of our longest running Career and Technical Education programs and we hated to see it go. TV Productions was extremely popular and had a waiting list. Of course, we could never let Carpentry go with the house they build and sell every year. These and all of our CTE programs encompass important real-world experiences for our students.”

Other CTE programs paid for entirely by the Wakulla County School District include Allied Health Assisting, which will be the new Medical Academy beginning in August, 2008. Students in the Accounting Operations program run a fully accredited credit union on the WHS campus with Envision Credit Union as their partner.

Other business and technical programs include Digital Design and Web Design. In addition, the Culinary Arts program runs a restaurant on the WHS campus called the War Eagles Café. Early Childhood Education is a new course offered to students who may want to work with pre-kindergarten children.

{sidebar id=1}Programs consist of three or more classes in one specific area that can qualify a student for a Bright Futures Vocational Gold Seal Scholarship. This translates into great financial help toward college, as much as 75% of tuition paid for students who keep up their grade point averages.

Program completers also can earn articulated credits, which are college credits awarded for introductory courses they have already covered in high school. In some areas like the Medical Academy, Tallahassee Community College will even reserve some spaces for WHS students who qualify for TCC programs like Respiratory Therapy.

Additional programs offered on the Lively Technical Center campus include Automotive Technology, Plumbing Technology, Electrical Technology, Computer Electronics, Drafting, Refrigeration and Heating Mechanics, Aviation Maintenance, Photographic Technology, and many more.

Observes Leon School District Superintendent Jackie Pons, “The legislature has put superintendents throughout Florida in a very difficult situation with the recent State budget cuts. I salute Superintendent David Miller’s leadership for designing this partnership in an effort to prepare Wakulla’s students for the future. Fortunately, Video Production, Carpentry and Criminal Justice career programs will continue to be offered to Wakulla High School’s students. This partnership is a model that should be copied throughout the State as we work together and share resources to ensure Florida’s students receive the highest quality of education.”

Superintendent Miller notes, “It takes a lot of hard work and financial commitment on the part of our Career and Technical teachers, business partners, and administrators to keep these programs going. We are pleased to partner with Superintendent Pons and Lively Principal Woody Hildebrandt to continue Career and Technical Education programs that prepare our students for their futures after high school.”

For more information on CTE programs, contact WHS Career Specialist Sarabeth Jones at 926-7125.

Photo left to right: WHS Principal Mike Crouch, Wakulla School District Superintendent David Miller, Leon School District Superintendent Jackie Pons, Lively Principal Woody Hildebrandt.

This article originally published on July 10, 2008.

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