LAURINBURG — As graduation draws near, 16 students already have jobs lined up following their departure from Scotland High School.
School officials gathered as seven of the 16 students “signed” with local businesses that correlated with the CTE (Career Technical Education) classes they took.
Scotland High School offers a variety of CTE — or vocational — courses including business, culinary, agriculture, trade and industry, architecture and construction, EMT, technology, marketing, health science and robotics.
“We try to make sure kids are college, military or career ready,” said Brian Edkins, principal at Scotland High School. “These students are ‘signing’ to a job that was prepared for them through CTE.”
Jonathan McRae, director of secondary education and career and secondary education, said the goal of the event was to recognize the students hard work and the CTE programs that prepared them to enter the workplace.
“Many of our students are planning to attend college and work this as a summer job or the beginning of a career as they work through additional training to continue their skills as they move forward,” McRae said.
Seniors Keldrick Jones, Summer Scott, Sammy Huckabee, Gary Norton, Kyleigh Smith-Locklear, Haiden Evans and Ta’Niya Hailey attended the signing. Each was recognized for the CTE program they participated in and the industry, business or organization they would be working for.
Jones, who took the welding program at Scotland High School, accepted a position with Maverick Transportation. Evans will begin a career with Service Thread after taking courses in plumbing and eletrical. He will be joined at Service Thread by Norton who took technology courses.
Huckabee will be working at Whitehead Enterprises, Inc. Design & Construction after taking drafting classes. Huckabee also took classes in plumbing and electrical.
As a culinary student, Hailey learned the ins and outs of the food industry. She will be working at Taco Bell.
Smith-Locklear and Scott were members of Scotland High School’s first pharmacy tech and EMT programs this year.
Scott took the EMT course and will now be working with instructor Niel Smith at Braveheart Medical Transportation. The senior took her state EMT certification test earlier this week.
“I was the only one from my class to take the state EMT test,” said Scott. “The class was very intrusive. My employer was also my instructor, so that’s pretty neat. I gained a lot through the CTE internship. I worked with Braveheart. He is really good about what he does and will not let you fall behind. It prepared me not only for a job, but to help anyone.”
Smith-Locklear took the pharmacy tech course and after passing her state certification has accepted a position at Rite Aid in Southern Pines.
“Only 56 percent of people pass the PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam),” she said. “Ms. Covington did an excellent job. Students will get the experience and training they need to get a job right out of high school.”
Both said they would encourage students to take any of the CTE courses, not only as a career path but also just for life experience.
“I recommend everyone take the EMT course, even if you don’t get certified you can learn to save anyone’s life,” Scott said.
Smith-Locklear will be attending UNCP in the fall to get her pre-pharmacy credits then transferring to Campbell University to finish her degree.
Scott plans to continue her training and will start courses in July through Central Carolina Community College to become a paramedic.
Other CTE students that have been offered jobs in the community, but could not attend the signing include:
Rakira Crosland and Tyzhee Brown will be working at Wendy’s. Nasir Murphy accepted a job at Little Ceasars. Raven Jacobs will be employed by Icebreakers. Marissa Cheek, Maribel Reyes and Joshlyn Monley will be working at Carolina Hearts and Tripp Wells and Chase Lowerly will become employees at Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Additional students that are hired after graduation will be recognized during the district’s CTE Summer Camp at the end of the month.
Amber Hatten-Staley can be reached at 910-506-3170 or [email protected].
