Career Academy boosts academic successes

The Career Academy at South Florida Community College had 19 seniors last year and 18 graduated with a regular diploma, Career Academy lead teacher Jennifer Westergom said Tuesday.

That academic achievement was one of many the academy - now in its second year - has shown, according to a report to the school board.

At the academy, eligible 10th to 12th graders can earn their high school diploma, their vocational certificate and possible college credit at the same time.

There is no tuition charge.

Westergom also noted other achievements: 100 percent of last year's 10th-graders passed the 2009 FCAT writing test; all seniors passed their FCAT retake tests during the fall 2009 testing; 81 percent of the students raised their grade point average after the first semester of classes and of the 11 students whose GPA did not increase, nine of them had only a slight decrease.

The academy's 57 students comprise 34 males and 23 female students.

Twenty-four students are from Avon Park High, 27 from Sebring High and six from Lake Placid High.

The academic day is from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., but it was noted that Lake Placid students have a long day. The central pickup and drop off times at the Winn-Dixie supermarket there are set at 6:35 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., respectively.

It was believed that Lake Placid High participation would increase if the bus times could be adjusted to shorten the entire day from pickup to dropoff.

Superintendent Wally Cox said a direct route to and from Lake Placid, without any stops, could shorten transportation time.

Cox said he would check about options with Transportation Director David Solomon.

The program's goals and changes for next year include:

• Increase enrollment to about 100 students next year and 150 the following year.

• Add a small reading class.

• Add chemistry to the science offerings.

• Monthly vocational focus. With 10 vocations and 10 months of school, teachers will focus on one vocation each month.

• Possibly add cosmetology for seniors, which has been requested by students.

Along with the recruitment efforts, enrollment will grow as the word spreads among the students, Westergom noted.

The academy's master schedule allows students to take four high school academic classes, which are taught by school board teachers and four vocational class periods with college instructors.

Following are the enrollment numbers for the academy's vocational programs:

• Auto collision - 5.

• Auto Service Tech - 10.

• Air conditioning - 2.

• Drafting - 5.

• Allied health - 14.

• Culinary/food management - 3.

• Networking - 11.

• Computer electronics - 1.

• Medical secretary - 6.

• Administrative assistant - 0