'The Eagle Experience' - Whitley County Consolidated Schools

Career Development Center—Where “Dreams” Really Do Come True“Columbia City High School and communityleaders are working together to increasepartnerships that are meaningful and thatfoster ‘real-world’ learning. As you will readbelow, these adults bring a new level ofworld awareness to our programs, and weare fortunate to have their continued supportand participation.” —Judith Moore,Director of Career DevelopmentCONSTRUCTION CAREER ACAD-EMY—ACCEPTANCEFred Eckart and the BCA (Building ContractorsAssociation) of Northeast Indianaannounced that three CCHS students, ZacGrable, James Myers, and Steven Plew, haveall been accepted to participate in the 8 thannual Construction Career Academy in Ft.Wayne. The Construction Career Academyis held over three days and highlights 16construction trades and professions. TheAcademy relates the skills and abilitiesneeded by professional contractors andbuilds awareness of apprenticeship opportunitiesand their need for employees withformal education after high school. Admissionis limited to the top three studentsfrom each school. Both Steven and Jamesare looking at this as an opportunity toinvestigate various jobs, apprenticeshipprograms, and post-secondary education.Zac is following his original future plan andplans to attend Ball State to major in architecture.All three are looking forward tonetworking with professionals in all 16construction trades. More information canbe obtained about the Building ContractorsAssociation of Northeast Indiana and theConstruction Career Academy atwww.bcafortwayne.org.YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS PRESENTPLANSMany young people have a dream of owningtheir own business and being their ownboss. Miss Rush’s fall trimester entrepreneurstudents developed a written businessplan for a business of their choice and presentedthat plan to a panel of business/industry members at the conclusion of falltrimester. These businesses were createdand developed by the following entrepreneurstudents: Synyster Guitars, ZachShifflett; AH Customs, Austin Hartman;Sk8 Trix, Sarah Bowers; Ruckman Grain &Chemical Co., Seth Ruckman; Kay’s FineDining, Krista Line; Mata’s Chills, NickMata; Dunn’s Dome, Trent Dunn; 1 st andGoal, Ty Preston; Beth’s Kitchen, BethNorris; and E & B Motorsports, EthanBreece.Advising and evaluating students on theirbusiness plan knowledge, organization,effectiveness of interview, introduction,language skills, personality, self-esteem, andappearance were: JoAnn Bird owner ofRunning Around Screen Printing; BenRomine, The Romine Group; LindseyHively, Kernel Colada’s; Kelley Lefever,Star Insurance; Tad Varga, Three Birds;Cari Wells, 1 st Source Bank; Jill Daniel,Daniel Menu & Party Consulting; TomBrookshire and Jennifer Babbitt, L Spa;and CCHS Principal, Gregg Goewert.(Pictured above is Krista Line discussingwith Tad Varga, Kelley Lefever, and CariWells her business plan)CAREER’S: TOOL FOR COLLEGE &CAREER PLACEMENTBusiness and industry surveys indicate thateconomic survival in the 21 st century willdemand that students know and understandboth fundamental and technicalconcepts of business as well as possess theability to execute these concepts in nearlyany job/career setting. Every trimestersophomore students in Orientation to Lifeand Careers learn about their aptitudes,interests, and personality traits as theyrelate to possible educational and occupationalopportunities, and each studentparticipates in a job-shadowing and a mockinterview. Mock interviews were conductedby Heather Juillerat of Star Insurance;Cathy Gardner, W.C. Planning &Building; Michelle Culbertson, ColumbiaCity Chamber; Cathy Reeg of Star FinancialBank; Betty Mishler, EDC; VanessaBills, Whitley County Foundation; andour CDC staff: Jeff Clark, ElizabethHanna, and Cheryl Schuman.MEDICAL INTERNS BEGINROTATION AT WHITLEYCCHS’s internship partnership with ParkviewWhitley Hospital began ten years agoand continues to thrive. Bridgett Johnson,V.P. Patient Services, welcomes CCHSstudents each trimester and encouragesthem to ask questions of her staff andlearn as much as possible about the vastnumber of careers at Parkview Whitleyduring their 10-week unpaid internship.Program Coordinator, Elizabeth Hannasays, “The staff at Parkview Whitley Hospitalworks so closely with our students tohelp them develop a well-rounded understandingof what it takes to work in themedical field. The staff’s hands-on approachto teaching really shows in the excitementof our students as they talk aboutthe knowledge and experience they gainwhile at Whitley. The interns know thattheir mentors truly care about them andtheir education!” (Pictured above are wintertrimester medical interns at ParkviewWhitley Medical.)Students participating winter trimester atParkveiw Whitley include: Alyse Perry,Christin Rethlake, Breanna Schaper, MarlaWalters, Karlee Macy, Mindi Hoffman,Alex Bunyan, Nick Rupert, Austin Straub,and Justin Hearld."Don't ask me what I want to be untilyou show me what there is to be."--AnonymousFor more information or help with careerexploration and planning, visit the CDCwebsite http://wccs.k12.in.us/cchs/cdc/index.html or call 260-244-6136.Page 6‘The Eagle Experience’