Career academy is a good alternative for students

In these tough economic times, many of our high school graduates may be reassessing their plans for higher education.

Some may want to wait or even change majors, while others may wish they had a vocational degree that could enable them to enter the workforce soon after they graduated.

If you are a student who feels that the latter works best for you, then you and your parents need to go to an information session on The Career Academy.

The career academy is what it says it is.

Through a partnership between the School Board of Highlands County and South Florida Community College, academy students take required high school classes and work toward a vocational certification - and possible college credit - at the SFCC Highlands campus.

There are several choices available, from administrative secretary preparatory courses to air conditioning to automotive collision repair, and others.

Next year, the academy also will offer a biggie among today's students: prerequisite courses in allied health track. If you are interested in nursing, for instance, you can take your required anatomy and physiology courses, and others, at the academy, for free, and while in high school.

We think the career academy is a good option for students and more should take advantage of it.

Not everyone wants to go or can go to a four-year college, and that's where the academy comes in.

Last year was the academy's first year, and it's understandable that they managed to enroll only about 60 students. This year, parents and students have enough time to learn more about it.

The best way to find out is to attend the information session at 6 p.m., April 16, in Building L of the SFCC Highlands campus, Avon Park. The academy is open to students entering the 10th, 11th or 12th grade with certain eligibility requirements.

Academy representatives will explain the benefits of enrollment, eligibility requirements and the application process for the 2009-10 academic year and take guests on a campus tour.

The career academy may or may not be the right choice. The only way to find out is to go.