As the school year winds down, graduating seniors are beginning to gain recognition for their achievements, many of which can be attributed to unique educational opportunities they were provided during their time in high school.

It has become common for students under the age of 18 to join adult learners in college courses at our local community colleges. This opportunity gives students a jump start on their post-secondary education, pushing them one step ahead for the future.

Another educational trend students have taken advantage of in the last decade or so is career and technical education courses. Students can gain experience in various fields — ranging from culinary arts to woodworking, broadcast journalism, computer engineering and much more — before they even turn their tassles.

The best part about these opportunities is that in many cases, they are funded by the local school districts or the state, meaning high school students have the chance to gain practical experience or college credits at no charge to them.

Last week at Brandywine, CTE students showed off the fruits of their labor from this school year at the Michigan Industrial Technology Education Society regional competition, hosted at Brandywine. A number of these students are already employed in their fields of interest thanks to their studies, and others were able to network with potential employers about future work.

Several students will graduate high school this June having already earned associate’s degrees, which means when they head off to universities and colleges across the country, they’ll be able to focus on their areas of interest instead of paying extra for pre-requisite courses.

It goes without saying that these opportunities are invaluable to students, and they should be commended for taking on the extra challenge of advanced courses. The school districts and educators who make these opportunities possible are true assets to our region, and we are thankful for their efforts

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.