Victoria Thazi started her sophomore year at Greenwood High in Warren County with a general idea of what she might do in her adult years.
“I like helping people and always wanted to be a nurse,” she said. Now nearing the end of her junior year, the 16-year-old has used plentiful career exploration options in the district to gain insight on her aspirations beyond high school — and how she can get a head start now.
A small-group job-shadowing visit to the Graves Gilbert Clinic in Bowling Green, a collection of medical specialists, included a tour, explanations of medical roles present across the facility, an up-close view of daily routines and expectations, and time to speak with professionals. The takeaways influenced Victoria’s view of her role at school.
“When we talked about majors and education, it helped me see that I need to be more focused on science. It’s a little hard for me, but I see now that it has to be my top priority in school and not just be about passing classes,” Victoria said. “Being more focused on biology and chemistry is going to be important.”
Over the past decade, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce worked in partnership with the Warren County and Bowling Green school districts to create and implement a leadership curriculum and the SCK LAUNCH program. The efforts create meaningful connections to the world of work, positioning students to lead their future career path in an expanding job market. Direct connections with local employers are opening doors for students and teachers.
Julia Clark, a family and consumer sciences teacher at Greenwood, joined a one-day teacher “externship” to see the hospitality operations at the National Corvette Museum and its expanding Motorsports Park. She said that tourism and immersive experiences are a fast-growing field that caters to niche interests. It is far beyond the culinary or events training covered in teacher-education programs.
The SCK LAUNCH opportunities showed how areas like food service or customer relations also involve marketing and logistics to provide memorable moments.
“The more experiences we have, the more exposure we get in the true career field, the more we can give students knowledge and guide them better,” the fifth-year teacher said. “It’s just invaluable information that lets you see so much deeper.”
What began as a 2009 discussion about expanding FranklinCovey leadership training to elementary students spawned a career immersion menu that now grows through the middle and high school years — from defining individual talents and passions to exploration of local economic opportunities, experiences with local employers, and connections to postsecondary options.
“The goal was creating something that was available to all and that let students and educators understand what career opportunities are here,” said Meredith Rozanski, executive vice president of operations for the Bowling Green Area Chamber. Involvement from local employers and educators continues to grow, as has participation by local school districts in the region.
In Warren County, one result of the program is the presence of a college and career coach in each high school to manage participation in SCK LAUNCH offerings and develop partnerships in the community for students and teachers.
At Greenwood High, Holly Whittinghill surveys students about personal and career interests and proactively invites students to participate in career activities. “We are very successful in showing students that there are options for them — whether they want to go to school for eight more years or never step foot in another school door,” she said.
“There is a huge gap in what students can see in this building and what they can see at businesses in the community.”
The district's ongoing efforts match the focus of many Kentucky districts that have recently adopted Graduate Profiles, otherwise known as a “portrait of a learner,” defining skills needed for adult success. Warren County’s current Strategic Plan was adopted in 2017, emphasizing personal, intellectual, and professional success. More than a decade of districtwide work with Steven Covey’s work habits have stressed building students' ability to demonstrate leadership, problem solving, prioritizing, organizing, and accepting responsibility for their achievements. All schools have participated, with 10 schools achieving “lighthouse” status with the Franklin-Covey group. The district’s strong local connections with the Chamber and local employers is also expanding to reach more students.
The district last year broke ground on its IMPACT Center for Leadership and Innovation, a hub meant to draw students from across the district for programs that go beyond current course offerings. The district describes the new center as a technology-rich model “that will prioritize equipping students with next-generation leadership skills, non-traditional educational experiences, and thoughtfully designed rigorous learning that combines student passions and individual needs.”
Its current design emphasizes the opportunity to earn credentials in high-needs sectors of engineering, health care, computer science, and other fields.
“This is the seed that was planted from everyone getting out of their lane and starting to interconnect,” said Tracey Young, director of grants and community outreach for the 18,000-student district. “We have story after story of students impacted inside and outside of school. Last year, more than 1,300 students had college or career experiences. The answer is letting students get out and have meaningful experiences. To be highly successful, it takes all of the tentacles that go out in the community.”
