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Career foundations begin as early as preschool at Chickasaw Early Learning Academy. Students explore careers by participating in rotating
workstations that simulate the workplace. They have work-based learning experiences in flower shops, restaurants and more — learning
how to clock in and behave like employees do.

In the elementary grades, students use the Kuder Galaxy platform to take career assessments and explore jobs. Career counselors guide
this process of exploration: Students complete interest inventories to identify where they excel, what excites them and what jobs align
with those aptitudes and interests. By engaging in this process, one student learned as early as elementary school that he wanted to be a
paleontologist, reported Wofford.
Stringer leverages Nepris to facilitate virtual tours with speakers across the state. In one meaningful interaction, a nurse conducted a virtual
tour, demonstrated nursing activities, explained how students can pursue a nursing career and engaged in Q&A.
In the middle grades, students begin courses that help them explore careers in the 16 national Career Clusters while gaining employability
skills. Students interact with business professionals, attend career expos and broaden their awareness of the fields that interest them.

At the end of eighth grade at Chickasaw Middle School/High School, students and parents choose their desired program of study and can enter
one of three career pathways that culminate in a two-year certification: Information Technology, Advanced Manufacturing or Health Sciences.
These pathways offer students attainable career opportunities after high school without the worry of taking on postsecondary debt. Chickasaw
formed dual enrollment agreements with at least 20 community colleges across Alabama at which students can earn college credits.
CTE in a Virtual World
Alabama Destinations Career Academy’s virtual CTE program
started with 500 students in 2019. Now that schools are going
virtual for safety reasons due to COVID-19, the program has
grown to nearly 2,000 students. To qualify, students must have
identified a career pathway within the program.
Stringer believes the program is so popular because of the need
for synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (anytime) instruction.
She says virtual learning proved to be a convenient model
because not all students are “traditional.” Some students thrive
in independent studies, but not every student excels in a virtual
environment. Wofford identified and addressed three key needs of
his students that the district was able to meet during the pandemic:
1. Health — Cafeteria workers and staff prepared over 100,000
meals for roughly 1,000 students.
2. Emotional — Staff connected with every student once a week,
even during the summer.
3. Academic — Chickasaw pressed on with virtual learning and
provided Wi-Fi or mobile hotspots to students in need so that
they could access the internet.
“We are preparing our students for the day AFTER graduation with college and career readiness opportunities, employability skills and
real-world work experiences,” says Stringer.
It’s been no small feat, but under Wofford’s leadership, the school district is providing career exploration to its pre-K-12 students and
preparing high school seniors with industry-recognized certifications and credentials.
Contacts: David Wofford, dwofford@chickasawschools.com; Michele Eller, meller@chickasawschools.com;
Jaclyn Stringer, jstringer@chickasawschools.com

Addressing Students’ Mental Health Needs Culler looks back at what was perhaps an idealistic view when he
became principal at Easley seven years ago. “If you asked me then
By Diane James, SREB what’s important, I would have told you the graduation rate, core
Easley High School in Pickens County, South Carolina, found scores, ACT and SAT scores. It would have been a testing answer.”
itself in a unique situation — fighting a battle that superseded an Even though these things are important, Culler believes mental
instructional focus: a mental health crisis. health trumps academics in the sense that if students’ mental
health needs are unmet, their academic and social-emotional
Principal Gary Culler says many students face trauma. “We have
sadly witnessed more than our share of suicides, drug overdoses growth will be stunted.
and mental health crises leading to hospitalization.” About two years ago, after a student died by suicide, Culler says he
realized he couldn’t be an effective leader if he didn’t do something
Easley High School is not alone. The National Alliance on
Mental Illness reports about one in five youth aged 13-18 live to address mental health issues. He began a yearlong search for
with mental health conditions.

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