Sophomore Summit Sparks Career Ideas in Windham County Youth

Above: Students interested in working with their hands toured an actual construction site with GPI Construction, and learned about building principles by setting a “masonry” arch using large foam blocks, with help from local Mason Peter Welch.

In November, 120 students from Windham County high schools got to try out careers at the “Sophomore Summit” hosted at the Latchis Theater, the Boys & Girls Club, and other nearby sites. BDCC was excited to sponsor the annual event in person once again, after a pause last year due to COVID.

Students began arriving by bus at 9:30. The day kicked off in the main theater with a rousing keynote by local author/actor/craftsman Tom Bodett. Bodett inspired students with stories from his own work experience which spanned commercial fishing, becoming a nationally reknowned media personality, and now what he calls his true passion – woodworking. He left the students with words to live by “You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can’t wipe your friends on the couch.”

While off-site field trips were limited this year due to health and transportation constraints, the event was designed around workshops held either on-site at the Latchis or within walking distance at a variety of venues. Each student participated in two worksite tours or workshops, with lunch in between. They each chose a “track” based on their interests aligning best with one of the following statements:

• I like working with my hands.
• I like creating art and generating ideas.
• I like working with numbers and business ideas.
• I lie serving by community.
• I like helping people.

Students interested in helping people learned about various careers that fit into this category such as healthcare professions. Shown below are students who participated in a demonstration held at the Vermont Technical College Brooks House campus.

At lunch, students enjoyed brownies and career information from local manufacturer, Against the Grain Gourmet, which is based in Brattleboro and makes America’s favorite gluten-free pizza crust.

To learn more, watch the 2021 Sophomore Summit Video here.

The day is designed to expose students to various careers, as well as the diverse pathways to achieve those career outcomes. They get a taste of the skills or knowledge needed to access certain jobs, but also of the often surprising path that real-life professionals have often taken to arrive at their current position. The workshops help sophomores consider what activities and courses they might want to pursue during high school in order to explore and access various career pathways.

Special thanks to all of the employers, venues and workforce educators who participated in the event:

• Against the Grain
• New England Youth Theater
• The Hatch Space
• Town of Brattleboro Town Government
• Downtown Brattleboro Alliance
• Brattleboro Fire Department
• Stone Church
• GPI Construction
• Peter Welch Masonry
• BDCC’s Business Services Team
• Windham County Sheriffs Department
• Brattleboro Boys and Girls Club
• Vermont Technical College Healthcare
• Windham Regional Career Center Nursing Program
• and of course, the Latchis Theater!

The Sophomore Summit is an event produced and funded through BDCC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program (P3).

About Pipelines & Pathways

BDCC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program (P3) provides employment oriented career-planning for the region’s high school students. It brings training in 21st Century skills, work-based learning, and personal learning plan (PLP) engagement opportunities to all four public high schools in Windham County. The program assists in developing workforce-oriented curricula, expanding classroom relationships, and growing work-based learning through opportunities with local employers. It also supports teachers working face to face with students to implement personal learning plans and seize the myriad opportunities presented by Vermont’s Flexible Pathways Initiative under Act 77. Pipelines & Pathways is a BDCC Workforce Center of Excellence program based on SeVEDS strategies to increase the size and quality of the workforce. For more information please visit https://brattleborodevelopment.com/workforce/