Dr. Dan Hohensee, Director of The Career Academy (TCA) shared information and successes that TCA has seen in only 4 short years.
One of the first questions - why the pineapple print suit?
This is the 5th year for TCA and he said they hoped to "thrive in 5" - which is surely happening.
Dan shared that they start each year with a challenge or motivation - by using a quote.
"Life always begins with one step outside your comfort zone". – Shannon L. Alder
He explained that they challenge students to stretch and try new things. He said that was where his pineapple print suit comes in - he has a few of those suits and he wears them on Friday no matter what is on his calendar. That included going out in the public such as to our Rotary Club Meeting.
This year's quote which also emphasizes leaving their comfort zone:
"If you’re not willing to risk the unusual you will have to settle for the ordinary." - John Rohn
Dan explained that the students all do this when they join TCA. They are leaving their school and friends and those comforts for a new experience. And he said it works - he sees that the students end up being more confident when they leave than when they enter.
The Career Academy is a joint venture between Lincoln Public Schools and Southeast Community College. The goal of TCA is to provide academic and real world experiences to high school juniors and seniors through high school and dual credit courses in 16 different career pathways.
The mission as Dan presented it is to prepare students for continued education and employment that will contribute to the economic growth of their families and their community.
TCA is based on career pathways which include:
| Ag/Bioscience | Business Entrepreneurship | Construction | Criminal Justice |
| Culinary | Early Childhood Education | Engineering | Health Sciences |
| Information Tech | K-12 Education | Precision Machining | WElding |
Students attend TCA for two hours a day during the regular school year while taking their remaining courses back at their home high school. Transportation in the LPS district is provided, books are free, and tuition is free through scholarships or paid at a 50% discount to the regular SCC credit hour charge.
Upon completing courses at TCA, every student has four options as to the next steps they may take. These outcomes include:
1. Enhanced employment opportunities because of the skills they acquired at TCA
2. Earned or be on the way to earning a certification if the field has one
3. Continue on at SCC or another community college to complete their 2-year degree.
4. Enroll in a four-year college by using those college credits that transfer.
Besides the specific studies of the pathways, they focus on soft success skills such as:
Focus on soft / successs skills
- Attendance
- Time Management / Deadlines
- Use of Technology and emails
- Self-advocacy (don’t have parents to call in for them, etc.)
- Professionalism
- Practices good behavior & professional etiquette
- Professional positive attitude
- Abides by classroom and building guidelines
- Respects superior and peers
- Communicates properly
- Respects cultural diversity in interactions w/others
The enrollment at The Career Academy has increased during the 5 years it has been in existence:
2015-16 = 357
2016-17 = 394
2017-18 = 390
2018-19 = 527
2019-20 = 641
How can we be a part of the success?
Over 150 professionals in business and industry have provided expertise such as advising, mentoring, judging team competition, providing field trips, and sometimes even offer internships for students at TCA.
(Some of the above information and more can be found at https://home.lps.org/tca/.)