January 23, 2008
Valdosta - Nearly 100 employers from all over South Georgia met with the students of Ware County High.
"Many kids aren't sure what they want to do in life so this is a chance for them to talk to the people actually out in the field working," says Jewell Sharpe, school councilor.
But this is not your average career day. It's the kick off to a program that's the first of it's kind in the state.
It's called Talent Development. Starting next year the school will be separated into five career academies.
The students will then be split into the academies according to what fields interest them most.
"CHAPS will focus on communications, human services, arts and public safety. TIME will focus on technology, industry, management and engineering. We'll have a Agriculture and Health Academy, we'll also have a 9th grade academy, and an Echoes academy which is like an alternative programs academy," says Leslie Giraldo, Talent Development Facilitator.
They hope the program will help them battle problems with attendance, discipline and test scores.
And with just 59% of students receiving a diploma last year, they hope it will help raise the graduation rate.
"If kids love school and love what they are doing they are going to be here and if kids are here and interested then they are going to pay attention and our graduations will naturally get better," Giraldo adds.
School administrators have no doubt the new curriculum will work and hope their school will become a role model for other schools looking to do same.
Students will get six weeks to use Wednesday's career day to pick which academy they'd like to enter.
The new curriculum will start at the beginning of next term.
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