One of the main goals of a high school is to prepare students for the future where they can make meaningful contributions in their chosen field while earning financial security.
That usually means getting students prepared for further education and skills training at a university, community college, career center or trade school.
On Feb. 12 in a discussion on reshaping the high school, Hamburg Area administrators told school directors that while a four-year college is a good path for some students it is not the best route for many.
Often they don’t like the experience and those that graduate find that a degree does not guarantee them a high paying job and often results in significant debt.
“Getting good grades, the right SAT scores, a college education and a job for 35 years is not guaranteed,” Superintendent Dr. Richard Mextorf said. “That world doesn’t exist anymore. We need to help (students) see the ‘on ramp’ to their future.”
One way that the district is trying to do this is by building relationships with businesses.
One of those relationships is with Niagara Bottling which has made six paid positions available to district students.
Senior Devin Salvati has one of those positions. Two to three days a week he attends class at the high school in the morning, goes to Reading Area Community College for classes in mechatronics and then puts those skills to work while getting hands-on experience at Niagara Bottling.
“We call it professional field experience,” High School Principal Chris Spohn said. “His focus is mechatronics and he is working towards 10 certifications. RACC has been phenomenal and very flexible.”
Manufacturing jobs are growing and in demand in Berks County, according to Spohn.
“Students can be trained, get experience and be ready to work without having to attend school for four years,” Spohn said.
New and emerging occupations in every industry now require a combination of academic knowledge and technical ability which puts community colleges in the ideal position.
“Every young person has unique abilities, but they don’t know what they are yet,” Mextorf said. “We need to tap into that. They need to understand what they’re good at, their talent, passion. We need to let kids explore and experience.”
The next meeting of school directors is Monday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the James A. Gilmartin Community Room.
