Category: District News

Students explore the skilled trades with new high school offerings.

While traditional classroom instruction has its place, hands-on learning helps lessons come to life.

This is especially true for learners who have a passion for the skilled trades—pursuits such as construction, culinary arts, carpentry, plumbing, welding and more.

In the past, students with such a drive had to wait until their junior or senior year of high school to begin this sort of learning. Educational partners such as HFM BOCES’ Career & Technical Education program has been, and remains, key to this.

Increasingly, though, more of our students enter high school knowing how they want to learn and where they want to go career-wise.They aren’t content to wait until their required high school coursework is well-underway to start learning about what interests them most.

At the start of this school year, and in response to our students’ request, the high school launched its first “technology pathway.” Centered around a welding curriculum, classes include a range of electives—from stick, MIG and TIG welding to Computer Assisted Design (CAD)—and offer students a chance to take the “deep dive” they know is right for them as soon as they enter high school.

Students who successfully complete the technology pathway now offered at Fort Plain, along with other core subjects, can earn their diploma with an added technical endorsement.

Students will also be able to use this type of career and technical education pathway to demonstrate mastery of their high school coursework and earn their diploma under the new graduation measures being developed by the state.

The path to the pathway

“Many years ago, we began offering electives aimed mostly at students who had pre-engineering leanings and were likely to pursue this sort of coursework in college,” explained high school technology teacher Kreig Heroth. “While this has been an important way to inspire these students, we knew we were missing out by not offering courses that could bring in students who have more of a bent toward the skilled trades.”

The addition of a second technology teacher this school year, and upgrades to both the technology and welding classrooms at the high school, have allowed the district to offer students an expanded “package” of electives. This includes an early introduction to technology for all seventh and eighth graders with the opportunity for students to take electives beginning in ninth grade for a full experience with the design, creation and building that go into a career such as welding.

“Some of the students are hands-on learners and all they want to do is weld, so they might not naturally gravitate to a class like CAD or Design and Drawing for Production,” Heroth continued.  “Over the years, there has been an evolution in technology education. We want to give them a range of experiences and help them build all the skills they need to pursue their passion.”

“This has been a way to expand our students’ career and technical education learning right in our schools,” added Superintendent Lauren Crisman. “We want to ensure our learners have as many opportunities as possible to gain the skills they tell us they want and we know they will need to be successful in the future.”

Both Crisman and Heroth note that there is already a high level of interest for this elective pathway and indications that it will grow even more in the coming years, given the demand for skilled welders in the workforce.

The goal is to continue to expand this offering with new courses and work toward partnerships with area businesses that will allow students to network, take part in apprenticeships and learn on the job.

Following their passions

Seniors Ace Roy and Gabby Calhoun are both taking full advantage of these new electives. And while they have different career goals, both say what they are learning is sure to help them on their paths.

Ace Roy, who is interested in welding as a profession, says this experience is giving him a leg up on learning.

“These classes are teaching me a lot of handy skills I am sure I will be using as a welder and throughout my life. It is good to know how to make things and to do it myself. And, if I can get paid for doing what I love, all the better!”

For Gabby Calhoun, the classes have offered her the chance to try something new and learn more about what interests her.

“I didn’t even know welding was a thing before I took these classes, but thought this would be something new to try.”

She recommends that other students give it a try, too.

“The sparks might scare you at first, but it is a great way to find out if it’s something you might want to learn more about.”

While Gabby intends to study veterinary and animal science after graduation, she is already putting the skills she is learning to good use.

“My family owns a trucking business and others work in construction. I have already been helping out with the skills I have learned.”