National Heritage Academies Partner-schools Emphasize Being 'College- and Career-ready'

Career and Technical Education month in February shines light on myriad possibilities for students beyond high school

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Being college-ready doesn't mean college is the only option for students after high school. That's why National Heritage Academies (NHA) partner-schools are using Career and Technical Education (CTE) month in February to expand the conversation to being college- and career-ready with a focus on its partnerships with local vocational education programs.

With students preparing for their career pathways as early as possible, it's important that schools are providing them with an academic map toward achieving their goals, said Aquan Grant-Wayne, a director of school quality at NHA.

"If we give them what they need to be ready for the opportunity when it comes to them, that's really the goal," she said. "You may be able to go these two different routes, but you have the options ahead of you and we've equipped them with the ability to make those decisions; they're not limited by anything."

To help students explore their options, Grant-Wayne said NHA partner-schools collaborate with area technical centers. Popular programs range from culinary, to criminal justice and welding, to name a few.

Grant-Wayne is passionate about ensuring that students are aware of the many career pathways available to them. She has been a driving force behind creating partnerships that define clear options for students.

It's also important for students and their parents to know that through NHA's Early College Program, they can capitalize on earning an associate degree for free while still in high school. Whether a student plans to head to a four-year college or go right into the workforce, they are ready, she said. For example, students at Canton Preparatory High School have access to Wayne County Community College District's full campus offerings.

College Counseling and Early College Manager Teresa Noordhoek added that students are more financially savvy today. They are looking for opportunities that will help them get into the workforce without taking on a high amount of debt.

"We're working to get better at providing more options for them," she said. "We want to challenge our students, and it's a great way for a student who may feel their options are limited. They can get plugged in and really quickly leave school with a degree or certification that lets them start working right away."

Giving Students a Choice

Finding a career pathway starts early for students at NHA partner-high schools. Using Xello, software developed to help students become more college and career-ready, students take an interest inventory that highlights career options that might be attractive to them. Advisory teachers, along with college counselors, then dive into these highlights and keep them at the forefront for students as they progress through school.

"Wherever we can establish community and get students exposed to college and careers, we do," Grant-Wayne said.

It all comes back to NHA's core belief of choice, and helping a student find their career pathway is another extension of that, she said, adding, "We really stress choice. A part of our mission is being the best educational choice for families, but we also want them to have choices post-secondary."

"Everyone will be college-ready, and they'll have a choice to go to college, but this also gives them a second choice of going straight into their career. Just like we're the best choice for their educational pathway, in turn is to give them choices as they leave us, and as many choices as possible to empower them to impact their communities."

Beyond traditional college fairs, NHA partner-schools seek to provide hands-on, real-world career field exposure. At Canton Prep, there is a student-run bank to give students command of their finances, while Westfield Preparatory High School has a junior cosmetology class and partners with Maniac Mechanic to provide students with hands-on construction skills.

Added Grant-Wayne, "While it may be difficult to predict the next in-demand career 10-plus-years from now, we're still connecting back to the skills that will give students options. That's connecting back to why vocation matters. We need the balance."

About National Heritage Academies:
National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 101 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 68,000 students in kindergarten through 12^th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies