I stopped at the front door of Kettering High School this morning to get clearance to enter for safety reasons.  I was excited to enter the school to see the Career Center programs we partner with and visit our Oakwood High School students participating.  

Oakwood Schools partners with Kettering City Schools and Centerville City Schools to offer career technical education opportunities to our students.  Fourteen programs are offered at Fairmont Kettering High School, and eleven are offered at Centerville High School.  You can get more information about the specific programs on our Career Technical Education website.

I was quickly amazed by the large classrooms and “lab spaces” that allow students to learn and engage in hands-on learning.  The Automotive Program had multiple bays with cars for students to learn from and actually fix!  I was also glad to know that the teacher of the Digital Design program was a previous graduate of the program!

I spent time visiting two of our students in the Allied Health Program.  The room was at capacity with students from the three high schools - there is a waiting list!  While one side housed tables and chairs, the other had hospital beds surrounded by other medical instruments and tools.

The students were working on multiple self-directed activities.  The day before, they visited the hospital, and each conducted an observation in a different area.  One of the students got to see a live birth!  So, students were completing a reflection sheet on their experience to hand in.

The students were also researching and learning more about the long bone.  By completing a packet, students were learning the various parts of the bone, how they are connected, and what makes them unique.  

This particular program is also connected to College Credit Plus courses through Sinclair Community College,  so students were also completing assignments for their “Introduction to Health Care Delivery” course.

Finally, students also get the opportunity to participate in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competitions.  HOSA is a national program designed to engage students in future health professions through competitions.  Students need to study and be ready to be tested on terms, parts of the body, and procedures.  Students can advance to regional, state, and national levels.

I am proud of our partnership with Kettering and Centerville to provide similar opportunities across the 25 programs.  As students and families look out into the future, I encourage them to speak to their school counselor for more information.