Fog...some students love it, some hate it. As an administrator at a career center (one of the top career centers in the state according to the 2018 report card data, mind you), I can tell you it makes life more difficult some mornings in the late summer/early fall. I'm also trying to remember how I felt about it when I was a kid, but my memories are a bit hazy (sorry, couldn't resist). Anyway, with all of the fog clouding things up over the past week, it got me thinking about the "fog" many students see when starting to look toward their future after high school.
It's one of the aspects I LOVE about being at Vantage. Career Technical education has a unique place in our education system. Many of our students have rolled right through that fog and know exactly where they are heading. That's why they chose to come to us. It's such a rewarding feeling to talk with students in Ag who have wanted to work on tractors since they were kids on their family farm, or those that just love computers and couldn't be more excited to gain certifications and learn more about how they are connected in Network Systems (or how to use them to create AMAZING projects in Interactive Media). More recently, we've also had students who just know they want to be in law enforcement or the military. I literally saw/heard sophomores at several home-schools applaud when Mr. Knott introduced Criminal Justice as a new program a few years back. All of our programs have amazing and fun instructors leading several students who just know that's exactly what they want to do in life. Those students are a huge part of why career technical education is such a valuable tool across America.
However, just as the fog can sometimes come rolling back into an area where we thought it had lifted, many students still experience a bit of haze after they get to Vantage because they still just aren't quite sure what they want to do when they graduate, so they want to learn more about the program they've chosen. This is natural, and Mr. Fisher and Mrs. McConahay (our school counselors) are two of the best in the business at helping kids increase their visibility on the road to their life after high school. One of the other great advantages of career technical programs, though, is that students can get a great deal of information on so many different career options before even thinking about higher education. You might wonder why that's so important to students and their families. To explain, I'll share a quick story.
When I was a kid, I dreamed of being a sports broadcaster (OK, I dreamed of being a star basketball player first, but realized somewhat early in my junior high career that I was much more likely to have the talent of a professional "caller" than a "baller"). Anyway, I got through high school at Kalida and decided to go into broadcasting at the University of Dayton (Go Flyers). I went through 2 years (which, as you can imagine, were not free) before a mass media teacher showed us a video on what the "ins and outs" of broadcasting really entailed. After that video, I immediately went to my advisor and switched my major to communications management. Eventually, I decided to go back again and get my teaching license, and it was quite obviously the best decision I've ever made.
Anyway, my point in sharing that story is that it took me two years of college tuition to realize I wasn't really as passionate about broadcasting as I thought I was in high school. Talk about a major fog delay, right!? Now, I'm certainly not out here advocating against students going to college and furthering their education after high school. Quite the opposite, actually, as every program at Vantage offers and encourages connections and opportunities for further learning or training. We wouldn't be able to survive without it, and I know I wouldn't be the person and educator I am without my college experiences. What Vantage and career technical education in general does is allow high school students the opportunity to learn a great deal about multiple career fields, and get the hands-on training it would take to succeed in those fields. This simply gives these students the opportunity to be more informed and prepared to make the right decision about their plans after high school, whether it be higher education or the work-force. That feels like a win-win-win for schools, families, and students. You see, one way or another, at Vantage and career technical education; we are going to do whatever it takes to help our students navigate safely through any fog they might encounter on their way to a great career. Thank you all very much for your time, and have a great weekend!
