You’re never too young to start thinking about your future, and if your future plans include post-secondary education, it’s never too early to start thinking about how you can save on the cost of obtaining your degree.
Colleen Bartlett of the North Central Career Academy of Iowa Central Community College in Eagle Grove wants to help eighth grade students realize that this is possible for them as they near the start of their high school careers. They can take classes there, for free, all while earning college credit that can transfer to a community college, a university, or even help them graduate with a certificate in welding already in hand. To show them exactly what the Career Academy has to offer, she opened their doors to them on Thursday, May 13, giving these almost high school students a chance to look around, ask questions, and experience hands-on learning that is offered there.
After six years of serving students in Eagle Grove and the surrounding school districts, Bartlett and the Career Academy have learned a lot about what students want and what employers need. Bartlett believes this is just another way the Career Academy can benefit area students.
In addition to being a lot of fun and trying new things that most of them had never done before, like welding, the kids were interested to learn more about how the Career Academy works and how much money it could potentially save them on a college education – or how some strands could give them the training they need to go right to work after high school graduation if they so choose. They also learned that while they were able to experience three different areas offered at the Academy, there are also other strands of study available to them – like nursing.
High school students who attend the Career Academy report there for morning classes rather than going to the high school. They are offered laptops that connect to the Triton network of Iowa Central that are available for students’ use when they attend the Career Academy as a junior and/or a senior five days a week…and they’re free. Everything is free. There are no lab fees, no supplies to buy, no tuition…and if you pass your classes, in the end there is a $500 scholarship to ICCC that is yours. Going through the Academy both years in addition to the scholarship money totals saving of up to $4,500 on a college education.
What’s great about the Career Academy is that not only does it allow you to start your education early and earn free college credits, but it also allows you to explore a career you think you might be interested in. After taking the classes, if you find out it’s not what you want to pursue, you haven’t wasted money paying for the classes.
“Hosting a day when the eighth graders can come out and see what we have here is a great way to help them plan if they want to come here when they are a junior and/or senior,” said Bartlett.
If they think the Academy is something they would like to do, by coming in eighth grade for a visit, they know in plenty of time that they need to get all of their general requirements for high school out of the way during their freshman and sophomore year.
