By Susan Kovalik, Did you know?
While driving to California to spend Thanksgiving with my family, I decided not to listen to a CD or the radio, but rather to take in the scenery and enjoy the trip.
It was very soothing driving almost 1,000 miles with nothing but quiet reflection. What came to my mind along the way were all the thousands of people who have contributed to making this country a working reality.
I call these people the “everyday scientists.” They are the individuals who provide us with the roads that allow us to travel throughout the United States. They erect the power lines from Grand Coulee Dam to deliver power to the most urban and rural settings in our state.
They are the highway engineers who create the signage and speed limits and the rest stops that make traveling safe for thousands of drivers. They are the hundreds and thousands of commercial trucks that transport food from the farms, fields and orchards to the distributors to our markets and stores that end up in our hands and on our tables.
These people, and the decisions they have made in their lives, affect each of us in some way — large and small.
Somehow, somewhere, these adults had discovered the gift that keeps on giving. They had taken advantage of the incredible opportunities available in the United States that expands horizons and provides employment.
It is our high school students who need to discover the multiple opportunities to enhance their future.
Did you know that Washington has:
• Six public four-year colleges and universities
• 34 public community and technical colleges
• 76 independent colleges
• 227 private vocational schools.
This equals more than 340 options for our students when they leave high school, and this does not include distance learning or Internet classes or the incidental learning that comes from watching others at work.
The question is, do they know?
I suggest that every seventh-grade student create a portfolio around these post-secondary choices and that they have an opportunity to visit more than a few. I also suggest they participate in multiple career awareness days to build a vision of what they want to do and what it takes to reach their goals.
At least once a month, people whose jobs span the spectrum of possibilities would come to the schools and share their stories. Their stories should be videotaped so a library of possibilities would be available to review as needed.
A student from Truman High School in Federal Way recently called and asked to interview me to learn more about my job and the path I traveled to be where I am today. She was well prepared, took notes, was polite and arrived 10 minutes early. She is part of an intern program at Truman, a very positive idea.
There are enough adults in this community to accept a mentorship role with high school students that would grow their understanding of the world of work. If students have caring adults in their lives, they are more able to sustain difficult situations and move on to a productive life. It is hard to make a decision about your future if you do not know what options are available.
The more connections teachers make between content and the world in which we live, the greater the impact of the learning for students. Classes must become more relevant for today’s learners, and students must have opportunities to showcase their skills and talents apart from standardized tests.
Schools cannot do this alone. Every parent needs the information and guidelines to show their children what is available. Full and meaningful employment is not happenstance; it is the result of purposeful planning.
Truly, we live in a country filled with incredible opportunities, and Washington provides ample and meaningful choices for its citizens. Yes, I am very thankful for all that is possible for the young people of today. It is time the students knew it, too.
Think about it.
Susan J. Kovalik is an educator, international consultant and author in Federal Way. She is founder of The Center for Effective Learning in Federal Way who can be reached at skovalik@kovalik.com.
