Thirty Lexington High School students in Ms. Archer’s Career/Transition courses were among the Nebraska teens selected to participate in the grant funded College/Career Search & Investigate (CSI) Transition Event sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Education and the Central Region Transition Cadre. This first of three College & Career Explore events was held Tuesday, October 12, 2021 on the Mid Plains Community College campus in McCook, Nebraska.
Participating students toured MPCC – McCook observing a variety of learning environments, career fields, campus life, and student support systems. Students focused on the types of post-secondary training available in the Health Sciences, Fine Arts, Child Development, and Business, Marketing and Management. They further explored organizations and options within each career cluster, college life, and prerequisite skills/educational preparation and requirements. Students also participated in a question/answer session where they discussed admissions requirements, program offerings, and how to access Disability Services and student supports (accommodations) while in college.
A highlight of this transition experience, was an impromptu Question & Answer session presented by two Lexington High School Class of 2021 graduates, Jonathan Cortez and Jose Campa, who are both now freshman at McCook Community College. These young men graciously answered participant questions about transition, college life, career options, time management/organization, and the similarities and differences between high school and college. They also shared the importance of requesting and setting up accommodations for college classes prior to beginning those courses and offered advice regarding how to prepare for college.
At the end of this transition event, students completed a “Rate Your Day” evaluation of their experiences. This feedback revealed the impromptu Q & A session with LHS graduates, the “hands-on activities” in each scholastic/career area, the tour of the campus, and the “college cuisine” were key event highlights. According to Amy Chacon, an LHS senior in Ms. Archer’s Senior Transitions/Career Planning class, “Having this college experience was awesome! I really liked my tour guide because he shared a lot about the program options in McCook and about college life. It was also great to see Lexington graduates on the college campus and to talk to them about their experiences. I learned a lot. Being on campus made college seem real and the right choice for me. I’m so glad I had the chance to participate.”
The next grant funded CSI Transition Event sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Education and the Central Region Transition Cadre will be held in November 2021. For further information regarding this and additional transitional events/opportunities, please contact Becky Archer, LPS Transition Coordinator, at becky.archer@www.lexschools.org.
