While many teachers were enjoying their summer vacations, 15 area high school teachers gained business and industry experience by participating in the Weatherford College Extern Program.
Tammy Clark performs a water analysis at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant.
For a decade, the WC Tech Prep Consortium has provided professional development opportunities to local educators by placing them in area businesses to acquire current business and industry knowledge for their teaching fields in order to help prepare their students for their chosen careers.
"This program is critical to education because it lowers the classroom walls to help students get a glimpse of the real world of work," said Dr. David Russell, manager of the Extern Program.
Kit Marshall, Aledo Mayor and Parker County's Community Liaison for Emergency Preparedness, agreed. "I think it is vital that teachers are aware of the changing workplace in today's business environment so that their students know what they will be facing when they enter into our workforce. This program is an excellent way for teachers to know what is needed by experiencing the workplace first-hand."
Art, business, English, child development, mathematics, physics, science, social studies, and Spanish high school teachers represented high schools from Azle, Bridgeport, Decatur, Granbury, Lipan, Springtown, Mineral Wells and Weatherford.
This year, eight new businesses partnered with the WC Tech Prep Consortium to provide teachers on the job experience. The new businesses included the Amon Carter Museum; Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway; City of Weatherford; Luminant's Comanche Peak Power Plant; the Fort Worth Zoo; Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Grainger Industrial Supply and the Granbury Chamber of Commerce with its partners, the Hilton Garden Inn and Central Texas Title.
Stephanie Houlihan helps prepare food for the animals at the Fort Worth Zoo.
"It is all about a reality check," said Dean Kellogg of Grainger Industrial Supply. "The extern program is a great way to engage teachers in industry to get a true hands-on look at how their curriculum lines up with reality."
Kanetha Hicks, a Decatur business teacher, said that her experience at Grainger will encourage her to change some of her teaching methods. "I was amazed at how technology is used for every area of the facility. I will spend more time teaching EXCEL and ACCESS, two applications that Grainger used in every area of their day-to-day work."
The externship at Luminant's Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant was an eye-opening experience for science teacher Tammy Clark of Granbury high school. "It was a phenomenal experience that I can take back to my classroom. I observed the chemistry technologists and the water plant team as they closely monitored operations according to strict standards, step-by-step procedures, and with a resolute commitment to safety. I was also impressed with their focus on team-work, cooperation, and the importance of problem solving skills. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are essential for the next generation workforce to solve the problems of their time."
Michelle Somerhalder translates documents into Spanish for the City of Weatherford.
Michelle Somerhalder of Decatur High School used her Spanish skills at the City of Weatherford. "I translated an array of documents from adoption documents to pool policies. I enjoyed my time, but it was very hard work. I realized how important it is to teach Spanish concepts and words and phrases to my students that are actually used in the real world. My students will create video podcasts that contain conversations, words and phrases, and questions and answers in Spanish that typically occur in a business setting to provide to businesses so that they can better communicate with their Hispanic clients."
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