Life after high school

The school year is nearly over, and for many students this means back to high school. For seniors it means figuring out what to do after high school. For some upperclassmen this also means scholarship and college application dates are quickly approaching.

Many students scramble for extracurricular internships and part-time jobs, but they rarely think of their own school as being filled with opportunities and resources to help them in their lives after high school.

Post high school means being away from home and, for some students, even out of state. It is something that looms large in nearly every student’s mind, and I am no exception. After 12 years of high school life the sudden freedom, the lack of school, seems daunting to nearly everyone. Most students, and usually their parents, have at least a vague plan of what they want to happen after they receive their diplomas.

Some students have their whole lives planned out, or at least the next few years. Most plan for college or to take a year off to have a break. Some start apprenticeships or vocational training, while others go straight into the workforce. For other students who have no idea what they want to do after graduation, there are many resources, chief among them being their schools.

Career and Technical High School is, as I have mentioned in previous columns, different from other schools. One way is how it organizes its students. At CTHS, students are organized by pathway. There are five pathways: building, business, fitness, health and human services. In many schools, students are put into two academic tracks based on whether they’re going to be attending college or not.

These tracks do have their advantages. They help students who are sure of their plans and allow for more unique class schedules. There are also drawbacks, like a lack of flexibility for students who change their minds on what they want to do after high school.

One of the many advantages of CTHS’s system is that it doesn’t organize students based on their post high school plans. Instead, students are put into the pathways they are interested in. Students are able to take classes in any pathway, but generally take classes in their own. This means students in the building pathway can take AutoCAD, but they can also take culinary arts classes.

When students are allowed to take classes that interest them, rather then what they want to do after high school, they will be better prepared for finding work after high school. This seems to be the philosophy behind CTHS. This school seems to be based more on finding a career or field of study you are passionate about and letting that guide your career decisions rather than something as narrow as whether you’ll be receiving more education after senior year.

Another integral part of CTHS is the Career Tech student organizations, or CTSOs. These organizations help teach students new skills and can even help put them in touch with prospective employers. Regional, state and national competition allow students to showcase their skills and possibly even earn scholarships.

Training and meetings for CTSOs started this year at Career Tech. Students are put into groups based on a questionnaire they filled out earlier in the year. These groups help bring in new students who otherwise might not get involved with their pathways and show them new opportunities.

One of the most unique parts of CTHS is professional dress day. On Wednesdays students dress like they’re going to the office. For one day each week, hoodies, sneakers and jeans are forbidden. Girls can wear skirts, dresses and slacks and all guys must wear ties.

It is a topic of constant conflict among students and staff, but you can see its benefit. Though students may complain, most leave knowing what is appropriate job attire, something many young adults must learn on their own.

Different classes, special pathway meetings and a different school structure is important, but none of this matters if the staff isn’t committed. At CTHS you would be hard-pressed to find teachers more devoted to helping their students.

This brings me to one of the most important factors in the school — the staff. Career Tech wouldn’t be as much of a success if the staff didn’t have students’ best interests at heart. These teachers and staff can help students figure out what makes them happy, in and after high school.

Sophie Harris is a junior at Mat-Su Career and Technical High School.