Twin Valley Seniors Hone Their Career Plans
Surviving your senior year of high school takes persistence, courage, and a good sense of humor. While you’re trying to stay on top of your classes, work that side job, help out your family, plan for prom, and keep your car from imploding, every single person you talk to asks the same question – “What are your plans after high school?” That question can strike fear into the most well-prepared senior. Lucky for this semester’s Twin Valley students, they’ve got answers.
BDCC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program collaborates with TV each semester to bring their Flexible Pathways course to life, covering topics from punctuality, handshakes, and tie tying, to understanding the importance of flexibility, resilience, and maintaining a good reputation. Every student finishes a series of challenges like resume and cover letter writing, mock and informational interviews, and a host of other assignments.
This seminar style, experiential course allows students to spend time understanding their strengths and challenges, exploring things they like and don’t like to do, identifying their personal values, and connecting that self awareness with career and educational pathways where they can thrive. The goal of the course is to ensure that every senior has a solid postsecondary plan in place on the day they cross the graduation stage to accept their diplomas.
Each senior in FlexPath recently completed a Job Shadowing experience aligned with their desired career goals. Hailey Bills, who will attend Keene Beauty Academy this fall to purse a career in Cosmetology, worked alongside stylists from Salon Meraki in Brattleboro. Employees offered advice about best practices for money management and ways to offer personalized customer service that will make her stand out. “I learned a lot from the stylists in terms of how to set my financial goals each week. And I learned that using box hair dye is never a good idea!” Hailey has an upcoming Informational Interview with the owner of Scissor Masters to discuss the entrepreneurial aspects of the industry.
Catherine Thomas is headed to UVM to study Psychology and English. She is exploring a variety of career pathways, but knows she’s interested in social work, journalism, or being a technical writer. She spent her Job Shadow with Gena Mangiaratti, Reporter and Assistant News Editor for the Brattleboro Reformer. She was scheduled to cover a movie shoot taking place in Marlboro, but it was cancelled last minute. So, like any good reporter would do, she pivoted to her own idea of interviewing a local business owner. She and Gena went to Hand Knits and interviewed owner Beth Leggiere. Once she completes the article, it will be published with her byline! “The best thing I learned was how to conduct a press interview. It also confirmed that I love writing and might consider it for a career.” Her Informational Interview will be with Brattleboro Retreat Clinician, Zach Wigham, who also works for Groundworks Collaborative.
Angel Lucchesi spent the day on a ride-along with Sgt. Chris Norton, Patrol Supervisor/GHSP Coordinator/PIO of the Windham County Sheriff’s Department. She plans to enroll at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, majoring in forensic science. “We pulled over someone for speeding, but Sgt. Norton only gave her a warning due to extenuating circumstances. I learned a lot about how radiometers work for detecting speed. And I probably learned how to get out of a speeding ticket,” she laughed. Her informational interview will be with Chief Norma Hardy of the Brattleboro Police Department, who is the first black woman to be a police chief in the State of Vermont, and was the first female chief of Port Authority in NYC. Angel looks forward to learning the ins and outs of living in Manhattan.
Hannah Woodson shadowed at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She shadowed alongside several nurses, including her mom, Lacy Hughes. One of the mothers who was in labor (along with the attending physician) allowed Hannah to be there while she gave birth! “The mom and dad were so excited that this was the first baby I’d even seen born,” she said. “Seeing the baby born and watching the relationships that the patients form with nurses solidified my plan.” She has an upcoming Informational Interview with Twin Valley’s own School Nurse, Jolene Mahon. Hannah will attend Simmons College in Boston this fall to pursue a career in nursing, with a specialty in labor and delivery.
“This class gives you a good head start on what you want to do so you don’t have to figure it out later. The value is you can get a feel for what you want to do before spending thousands of dollars on a degree,” said Catherine.
Stay tuned for updates on TVHS graduation, which students earned the BDCC Windham Work Ready Credential, Curtis Fund Scholarship recipients, and the recipient of BDCC’s Windham Work Ready Scholarship for one student who exemplifies the accountability, initiative, professionalism, positivity, and resilience needed to excel in the professional world.
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/
Funding for P3 is provided by the McClure Foundation, Vermont Training Program, Vermont Community Foundation, the Windham County Economic Development Program, The Thomas Thompson Trust, the George W. Mergens Foundation, People’s United Bank, Tom Smith – Omega Optical, and Chroma Technology in Bellows Falls.
