Last year, Gov. Kay Ivey initiated her workforce development, job creation and education under her Strong Start, Strong Finish plan. Ivey has a 20/20 plan through the Department of Education to present the big college and career tech emphasis and several Escambia County schools have embraced the program, allowing students to jump start their careers by getting their first taste of working in the field or in a position they may consider making into a career.
“Work-based learning gives the option to reach the level to take core classes and go to work,” said Rachael Fillmore, Business Technology Applications Teacher and Co-Op Coordinator for the Escambia County Board of Education.
“It's been called co-op for years. We've got students from Flomaton High School and W.S. Neal High School, and another who does the program at Escambia County High School in Atmore. Some of the students have real jobs, some stay here at school. They go to Flomaton Elementary School, some help in the office, and some do tutoring.”
Fillmore said the Flomaton Outreach Club on Facebook does tutoring, and students don't have to have a real job to be in the program, but they can get experience.
“We hope to promote more things in the school next year,” she said. “Like future teachers. And with career tech, students have the chance to go do what they want to do and see if that is what they want to do. They don't waste four years of college and money to find out that's not what they want a career in.”
As far as the tutoring program, she said the little kids love the big kids and that the program has had a positive impact on the kids who get help.
Fillmore said there is a presentation prepared at end of year, documenting how many hours total the students have spent in the program working. The program is open to seniors who are on track for graduation and have met at least one of the college and career readiness standards. Students maintain good attendance as well as good grades and they must work an average of 15 hours per week and report their hours to the coordinator monthly.
“The state is wanting us to push work-based learning to show how it impacts the local, state and national economy, said Fillmore. “They give us a formula used will show the economic impact of the program locally. The numbers based on last year's program showing the economic impact in our county don't lie. One student working 15 hours a week times 43 weeks in a school year will have worked 645 hours. Multiply that 645 hours times 22 students we have in the program, which totals 14,190 hours. Multiply 14,190 times $8.48 an hour and the total is $120,331.20. That amount times seven, which is based on how the money effects the economy, is $842,318.40.”
Fillmore said she aims to be a liasion for local businesses and hopes more businesses will work with the program to hire students.
“They have to have good attendance, good grades, they have to come to school to go to work,” said Fillmore. “We filter through applicants that way. We are required to eye check on them once a month, they have to work an average of 15 hours a week. We limit the opportunity to seniors so we know they're on tract to graduate, so we try to wait until their senior year. The goal is for them to have some college and career readiness standards. They have to show something that they are ready to get out of school.”
Flomaton High School seniors Mallory Roye McFadden and Madison Danielle Moye signed up for the Flomaton Elementary School Outreach Program when it was brought up to them by Flomaton High School Principal Scott Hammond. Although they do not earn money working at the elementary school, they enjoy volunteering, helping the younger kids with their school work or working in the office.
McFadden said the program was looking for seniors to help kids with school work and tutor, or participate to help them with whatever they need.
“I think we can both say that we try to help the kids that get overlooked, who need us, or are different,” said McFadden. “It has effected how we see others. While kids may be overlooked by peers or teachers, or they don't have someone to talk to, they have us. There we feel have made a difference in their lives. Being there to help them can help us help others.”
The students go to the elementary school Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., tutoring five hours a week.
Both are planning to go to college and want to go into something to do in the medical field.
McFadden wants to be a neurosurgeon and feels that the experience she is gaining through the program will help prepare her to work helping people in the future.
“My helping with the kids has allowed me to be a part of their lives, said McFadden. “That's part of why I want to be what I want to be. I enjoy helping people.”
Moye said she is also interested in the medical field, it may not be helping children, but working in the program opened her eyes in life to where she is.
“I realize that just talking to people can make a difference,” said Moye. “I'm making bonds with the people I treat.”
Both McFadden and Moye agree that their time spent in the program is something they can put on resumes, college applications and job applications to show their involvement in the community and helping young people.
Fillmore encourages any high school senior interested in being a part of the program can contact her at 251-867-6251, ext. 3509 or email her at [email protected].
“We would like to see the program grow,” said Fillmore. “It's a great way to help our students graduate college or career ready.”
