DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS

Focus on the Future: Dorchester School District Two School-to-Work Manual is designed for elementary, middle, and high schools. It includes a description of school-based enterprises and programs. Each career development activity listed includes the title, objectives, materials needed, and a short description. A list of middle and high school resources is included as well.

The Real Game is an educational game incorporated year-round into the Social Studies curriculum. It is a hands-on approach to career education. Students are given a job and salary guidelines to use in preparing a budget, finding a home and car, and taking vacations. They learn about writing a résumé, applying for and losing a job, and retraining. It teaches students the values and economics of work, as well as all the 12 NCD competencies.

Very Important Peers (VIP) Tutors is a peer tutoring, reverse inclusion program for 7th and 8th graders in which regular education students interact with students with special needs in their classes and throughout the school. The program is designed to assist students with special needs in skill development and other school activities, while providing the tutors with leadership skills and credit equivalent to an exploratory course. Each VIP Tutor completes a journal of their activities as part of the class requirement. The program has grown from 12 to 90 students in three years.

Guest speakers representing various occupations bring their work vehicles for students to examine during Career Vehicle Days . Students are required to investigate three different occupations. They conduct interviews, gather other information, and report findings in their language arts classes.

Administered through the English, math, humanities, and social studies classes, the mentoring program matches students with specialists in business and industry. Students stay with their mentors for two to three hours each month to either shadow or perform actual job tasks.

Classroom visits by a number of business and community representatives are commonly conducted in appropriate subject areas. Visitors describe their occupations, and students are encouraged to interact with them.

Almost all classes conduct field trips to various businesses, Trident Technical College, and other career schools throughout the school year.

The South Carolina Occupational Information System (SCOIS) has developed a computer program to guide South Carolina students' career research activities. Students may use this program to research information on education requirements, colleges offering their chosen major, job opportunities, and salaries for careers they choose.

Speakers representing different occupations are invited to the schools during Career Day . They talk about various aspects of their jobs (e.g., education required, a typical day on the job) and answer questions.

Counselors developed "Pathway to Your Future" brochures which show how clusters of careers link with high school courses and opportunities for career exploration in the community. Students choose one of their school's career pathways and make a flexible four-year plan based on these pathways. The students' plans are always subject to change as they mature and learn more about themselves and the wide range of careers.

Each spring, parents are also asked to respond to a survey to determine the effectiveness of guidance services and how often they have used the center resources and services. Recent survey results show parents are pleased with these services. Results consistently indicate a frequent use of guidance services and the career center. Parents report their children's most common concern with the services offered is a desire for "more time with my counselor."

G/CC staff assist all classroom teachers with identifying and contacting area professionals to serve as resource speakers in their classes. Videotapes of speakers are made for subsequent use in other classes. G/CC staff worked with the Chamber of Commerce to develop a resource guide of area chamber members willing to speak at a school or host student visits to their work sites.

Each year, the G/CC staff conduct approximately twenty-five career awareness seminars on a wide variety of career opportunities, including nontraditional careers, throughout the year. Students from all grade levels are encouraged to participate in one or more seminars each year and may be released from a class to attend. Differing levels of training and opportunity are described to interest all students. For example, a seminar on Veterinary Science Careers would include both a veterinarian and a veterinary assistant as co-presenters.

Parents meet annually with counselors to discuss issues relevant to their children. They are given the opportunity and instruction to use the career explorations software. Parents of seniors attend a Financial Aid Night program where a local financial aid professional discusses available programs and parents can ask questions regarding financing on education. Forms are distributed and explained.

Students may take a Careers class, which provides students with skills in résumé writing, developing a portfolio, career research, job application and interviews, and skills for keeping a job.

Academic teachers incorporate lessons about careers in their curriculum and often team teach with guidance counselors. They invite resource persons to talk about specific careers. Student work is enriched by research using the various resources in the career center. For example, the Careers class may do a unit on health care related occupations. Students may watch a video about a physical therapist, peruse a volume of Vocational Biographies, or use the Internet to browse websites with health career links.

Another option is a paid two-year plus one summer apprenticeship program for juniors and seniors in the fields of banking and finance, automotive technology, or tourism. Students attend regular courses plus an apprenticeship-specific class each day. They may be released early to work at their apprenticeship site.

Juniors and seniors may elect to join a certification program for child care teaching assistant or certified nursing assistant. Students in these programs conduct visits and job shadows at child care and healthcare facilities. Clinical experiences are also required.

The annual fall School-to-Work Expo combines the Wisconsin Education Fair (WEF) with brief career opportunity seminars and workshops designed for high school students. The WEF provides opportunities for students and parents to speak with over 100 representatives from colleges, universities, specialty schools, and the military. The seminars and workshops are presented by dozens of area business and industry professionals who donate their time to speak with groups of interested juniors about career opportunities in their fields. A cooperative relationship between the school and the local Chamber of Commerce has helped the Expo grow to include students from over twenty-five area schools who are bussed into La Crosse for the day.

During the senior year, students continue apprenticeships begun in their junior year.

The main goal of the program is to deliver effective services to assist all LCCC students in the development of self-knowledge and advocacy; to provide the opportunities, experiences, and resources to promote career and educational exploration; and to provide training to develop, implement, and sustain a career plan, as well as the knowledge to understand and manage career transitions. The methods and services offered to reach program goals are described below.

Career exploration materials and services are available in all college open laboratories, on each counselor's desk, and at four Community Education Center computer laboratories located throughout the college district. Career exploration materials include SigiPlus and Horizons, Illinois' computerized career information system. Support services personnel who work to assist students' career development include part-time counselors, student aides, and volunteers.

All students in the Psychology 130 class take a pre- and posttest to determine improvements in their skills. An annual Occupational Follow-Up Study is conducted to determine the number of students who are employed upon graduation. LCCC data shows extremely high percentages of graduates employed through the years. The program was awarded the 1995 Certificate of Service by the Association of Computer-Based Systems for Career Information for contributions and service in promoting the use and advancement of computer-based occupational and educational information systems for career and exploration planning.

The career guidance and counseling program is delivered through a four-year developmental curriculum taught by guidance counselors in cooperation with the teachers. In addition to providing class time to counselors, teachers also incorporate the career development curriculum into their classes. They fully support the program and encourage their students to be actively involved. As proof of their belief in the program, those interviewed by the site visit team reported that they periodically bring their own children (who attend other schools) to use the Rich South career center's resources.

The counseling team makes ongoing changes in the guidance and counseling curriculum. A Career Advisory Council composed of teachers, parents, students, and business representatives meets once a month to provide input. Additional feedback is obtained from the Focus Group for Career Education made up of business representatives, the superintendent, and the assistant principal who meet quarterly.

Senior students complete an exit interview and evaluation of the counseling department. In 1996-1997, 90% of the seniors rated the overall services of the counseling department good or excellent.

The Horizon program received the Leo Bent Counseling Award in 1984.

A mentoring program is available for male freshmen and sophomore students who are considered at risk of failing at school. The students receive support, including tutoring, visits to mentors' work sites, and one-on-one meetings with mentors to talk about goals and career plans.

Students also research post-high school plans, including on-the-job training, apprenticeships, military careers, and postsecondary education options.

Students may participate in apprenticeship programs in tool and die-making and banking. The Federal Signal Corporation sponsors the tool and die-making program, while LaSalle Bank sponsors the banking program.

Students research an occupation using both school and community resources. They follow up the project by participating in the Community Experience Program. Students in this program visit a work site during the school day to learn about specific careers and jobs. Activities may involve observations, interviews, and tours. They are required to complete a career research worksheet which is signed by the employer and inserted into their individual Horizon books.

Parents receive a copy of the student's ISCP completed at the end of the junior year. Counselors ask parents to review the information and complete a questionnaire to evaluate their child's progress.

The math department sponsors a career day where businesses present seminars about various occupations or jobs. Previous presentations have included the following industries: auto body, farming, fashion design, engineering, burglar alarm systems, hobby world business, lens crafting, stained glass business, financial planning, and accounting.