Multiple Pathways
Enriching Students Passions
Written by Emma Clark, Raymore-Peculiar High School Junior
Initially published in “P.O.V. Publish Our Voices,” a student-run magazine showcasing the perspectives of young writers.
Nowadays students have many hobbies and feel pressured to pick one interest to pursue for their career without knowing if that’s truly a path they want to take. The emerging real-world experiences school districts are offering students are changing that.
Recently, students have begun enrolling in multiple real world programs to become well-versed in all the industries that they have passions for.
Keeton Scrivener, a senior at Ray-Pec High School attends his district’s LEAD Center. He has completed a year of carpentry within this enterprise school, and this year he is continuing real world learning by enrolling in the LEAD Center’s new HVAC program.
Keeton Scrivener is working on installing electric wiring into wall frames. Schrivener has been enrolled in both of Raymore Peculiar HVAC and Carpentry Enterprise. “My favorite part about the real-world learning is that when we are learning something there is a goal in mind that is for the future of yourself,” Schrivener said.
“Ever since I have done multiple programs they have really guided my way of thinking about what I want to pursue with my life,” Scrivener said.
The reason that I chose to enroll in multiple programs was because in my mind the more experience that I have in more than one trade, the more useful I can be to a company that needs me
Keeton Scrivener, Raymore-Peculiar High School Student
Scrivener is not the only student who thinks this way. Another HVAC student, Bradyen Hulen, is taking another real world learning opportunity to further his work experiences beyond the LEAD Center agenda. His day consists of going to LEAD and being a part of the HVAC program they offer, then using that experience to work at Comfort Systems. He believes that implementing his real world learning into an actual real world job will set him up for the future.
Bradyen Hulen is working on installing electric wiring into wall frames. Hulen attends Raymore Peculiar HVAC Enterprise. “I think it will set me up for the future.” said Hulen.
“It will push me the extra step forward in front of everyone else,” Hulen said.
When students like Scrivener and Hulen take advantage of enriching themselves with multiple real world learning that they are interested in, they begin to have a better idea of what they want to do long term. Some feel pressured to pick one path of real world experience and don’t think they can immerse themselves in what “could be.”
Advancing Students Futures
Summit Tech alumni, Sydney Nelson, finished high school by completing two Summit Tech Real World learning programs.
“I wish I could’ve gone every year. Doing multiple programs allowed me to get a more well-rounded education,” Nelson said.
During Nelson’s Time at Summit Tech, she began her own learning with Business Finance and Fintech courses. She thought that this was the path she was going to choose as a career.
Then, in Nelson’s senior year, she decided to pursue another interest and enroll in Summit Tech’s Paradise Park campus for Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation Management. Because Nelson stepped out of her comfort zone and invested time in another interest of hers, she found a career path that she ultimately wanted more than business.
Sydney Nelson with her award at the Family, Career, Community Leaders of America(FCCLA) competitive event. “All of us were able to complete 11-week internships at a property/industry of our choosing” said Nelson when talking about her time at Summit Tech.
“Summit Tech helped me narrow down my path to Economic Development for the Hotel Industry. I recommend that everyone do multiple programs,” Nelson said.
Summit Tech highlighted my skills and let me decide how I wanted to utilize them. I was able to take control of my education.
Sydney Nelson, Summit Tech Alumni
Nelson is now attending the University of Missouri and studying marketing and economics.
“[I am] elevating my experience in the Bloch School of Management,” Nelson said.
Students may not have a clear path of what they want to do for the rest of their lives. But most students have multiple hobbies and interests that can lead them down a certain path, yet they only expose themselves to one thing and think that’s the career for them. Students shouldn’t be afraid to step outside their comfort zone and try new programs if they are interested in another experience.
