Schools build careers
Local businesses have $3.9M impact on high school career academies
By MARCIA LANE
The Friday before her graduation, St. Augustine High School senior Jodi Mickler was still doing schoolwork even though she was working behind a desk at the St. Augustine Airport. The work was part of her internship with the St. Augustine Airport Authority. She graduated with her class on Saturday. Mickler and the five other students interning with the Authority were learning on the job, part of the practical side of the St. Johns County Career Academy program. "This is where the community comes together with students," said Superintendent of Schools Joe Joyner of the Career Academy program. Several months ago, school
district officials were worried continuing budget cuts by the state would be felt in the 15 academies. Last week officials were more optimistic especially when they pointed to the continuing support given to the program by 50-plus business partners; a support that translated this year into $3.9 million in everything from supplies to internships to cash. The giving, or value-added portion of the partnerships, included time spent at advisory board meetings, guest speaking, interviewing and interns, hosting field trips, hosting teacher externs, in-kind donations/supplies and cash.
That joint effort was part of the annual "Career Academy" Awards presentation program last week where business partners were publicly thanked. Earning the district's 2008-2009 outstanding business partner honor was Mickler's employer, the St. Augustine Airport Authority. The Airport Authority has partnered with the St. Johns County Aerospace Academy at SAHS since its inception in 2006. Authority Executive Director Ed Wuellner assisted with curriculum review, site selection, business partner recruitment and placement of student interns with partners at the airport. "They (the Airport Authority) have been involved in 1,640 hours of events and generated $290,200 in value-added for their Academy," said Paula Chaon, program specialist with the academy program. That value-added portion included
hosting interns, multiple field trips and a Family Fun Day.
Joyner said the involvement by businesses has been essential in the programs ongoing success. Students, too, have embraced the concept of career academies, said Jay Steele, who heads up the program.
Enrollment climbing
Numbers bear him out. In 2007-08 the enrollment was 1,503. For 2009-10, officials were projecting an enrollment of 1,875. After a media blitz of middle school students the enrollment is up to 2,025 students signing to take part in academies at the high schools. Part of that increase may be due to a DVD put together by career academy students. In the past, Chaon said, the academies used people from businesses coming in to talk about the different career opportunities. Students listened, but tuned out. Then the district turned to its own students. They came up with a DVD set to rap that was used as part of the middle school blitz. An on-line application process makes it easier to enroll and students are taking advantage of that. Participating businesses are helping themselves by being part of the
academies, helping prepare the trained personnel the work force is always seeking.
More college seekers
School officials are particularly pleased because students see the academies not as the traditional "vo-tech" route ending at high school but as ways to help them get into college or pursue post-secondary training. The academies not only can start students on a career path, they can help them discover their true path. Two of the students given scholarships through the academies this year planned to major in one field but decided on another when it came time to choose a college. They liked what they learned, but decided it wasn't what they wanted to do as a career.
The St. Johns County School District handed out their own Career "Academy" Awards to the St. Augustine Airport Authority and more than 50 other business partners during ceremonies at Bozard Ford, another of the program's business partners, last Thursday.
DISTRICT-WIDE SUPPORT PARTNERS
WorkSource; St. Johns Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Ford Foundation, Northeast Florida Builders Association, Schultz Center for Training and Leadership, Shorelines, Creekline, The St. Augustine Record, U.S. Green Builders Council, St. Johns County Education Foundation, Bozard Ford, Cady & Cady Studios, Florida Association of Career & Technical Education.
BARTRAM TRAIL HIGH SCHOOL Academy of Design and Construction Partners: Elkins Constructors Inc., Sisler Johnson Interiors, Haskell, Stuebben Architecture, Ervin Lovett & Miller Architects, Schenkel Schultz, Styles Home Design. VyStar Academy of Business and Finance Partners: VyStar Credit Union, Seaton Financial, Starbucks Coffee, Junior Achievement,, University of North Florida, Houston Computer Consulting, St. Johns River Community College, Universal Technical Institute,
Citigroup, Atlas Physical Therapy, Blue Cross Blue Shield.
CREEKSIDE HIGH SCHOOL Academy of Emerging Technology Partners: TLC Engineering, Convergys, ADP, Apple, Winn-Dixie, Jacksonville Electric Authority. Academy of Environmental & Urban Planning Partners: RS&H, Taylor Engineering, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Engineering Society, St. Johns River Water Management District, Department of Environmental Protection, Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Reserve, St. Johns County School District - Facilities &
Operations, JEA, Golder and Associates, PBS&J, Matthews Design.
NEASE HIGH SCHOOL Stellar Academy of Engineering Partners: Stellar, Matthews Design, JEA, University of North Florida.
PEDRO MENENDEZ HIGH SCHOOL Academy of Architectural & Building Sciences Partners: Florida Masonry Apprenticeship Foundation, Northeast Florida Builders Association, St. Johns Housing Partnership, Florida Rock. Flagler Hospital Academy of Medical & Health Careers Partners: Flagler Hospital, METI, Orthopedic Associates, St. Johns County Health Department, Jackson Veterinary Clinic.
VyStar Academy of Business & Finance Partners: VyStar Credit Union, St. Johns River Community College, First Coast Financial Advisors, Hutson Company.
PONTE VEDRA HIGH SCHOOL Academy of Biotechnoloy & Medical Research Partners: Mayo Clinic, Florida Community College Jacksonville, University of Florida. Academy of International Business & Marketing Partners: The Dalton Agency, Junior Achievement, First Atlantic Bank, Jaxport, World Affairs Council, Federal Reserve Bank, National Safety Commission, Medical Development International, U.S. Department of Commerce, Ponte Vedra Area Council, Jacksonville University,
Citigroup, Landstar, Regions Bank.
ST. JOHNS TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL Academy of Criminal Justice Partners: St. Johns County Fire Department, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, United States Air Force, Keiser University, Steve Moranda.
ST. AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOL St. Johns County Academy of Future Teachers Partners: Flagler College, St. Johns River Community College, Florida Learn and Serve, Jacksonville University, University of North Florida, Diane Solms. St. Johns County Aerospace Academy Partners: Northrop-Grumman, St. Augustine Airport Authority, Ninety-Nines, Catapult Capital, FCCJ Center for Aviation, Passero Engineering, Galaxy Aviation, Florida Aviation Career, AFA Falcon Chapter, Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University.
Scholarship winners Earning St. Johns River Career Pathways scholarships were: Carlos Siguenza, Pedro Menendez High School; Lauren Chriest - Bartram Trail High School; Samantha Negron - Pedro Menendez High School; and Christopher Reed - St. Augustine High School. Earning VyStar Credit Union scholarships were Brittany Newland - Bartram Trail High School and Jessica Bokan - Pedro Menendez. Earning a scholarship from the Air Force Association - Falcon Chapter was Shyamal Patel - St. Augustine High School.
Saluted as teacher of the year was Gail Cullum at St. Augustine High School/Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Other business honors - The St. Augustine Airport Authority and The Bailey Group also were selected as the St. Johns County School District's 2009 Outstanding Business Partners of the Year.
WHAT'S A CAREER ACADEMY? Smaller learning communities within a high school that are aligned with a targeed high-skill, high-wage industry. Emphasize motivational ad real-world activities including hands-on projects, business mentoring, internships and field trips.
IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY 15 career academies in county's seven public schools First year for Ponte Vedra and Creekside high schools, which have four new academies 1,231 individuals in activities 4,770 hours of business partners 1,503 students enrolled in 2007-08 2.025 enrolled for 2009-10 SOURCE: St. Johns County School District
WHAT CAREER ACADEMY STUDENTS SAY: No. 1 reason students joined the Academy - they thought it would help them get into college 32.9 percent are very interested in the Academy's theme or focus 79 percent plan to pursue post-secondary training 42 percent earned college credits 82 percent working in this field Wants? Better computers and more field trips. SOURCE: Survey results from Career Academies program |
