Published: December 17, 2006 01:01 am      

‘Passport project’ challenges students

Business people from all walks of life needed to help guide Class of 2010 into graduation

FAIRMONT — The Class of 2010 will have a few additional requirements to meet for graduation with a little help from local workers and business people.

According to Marion County Board of Education officials, this year’s freshman class must complete 30 total hours of work-based learning and a two-fold “passport project.” The project should be based on the individual student’s career choice and includes a research paper to be completed the junior year and a senior project.

Linda Collins, program reform facilitator for the BOE, said the project will help ensure the students are prepared for work in the 21st century.

“We’re teaching students for a job market that is yet to be defined,” Collins said. “We’re preparing them for 21st-century competition.”

“It’s no longer enough to master content,” said Judd Ashcraft, North Marion High School principal. “Students have to be able to apply it critically and use 21st-century technology and tools.”

East Fairmont High principal David Nuzum said it’s all about teaching students to think critically and communicate differently.

Preparing students for an unknown future is a daunting task, just like the enormity of the passport project. Over the course of their high school tenure, the Class of 2010 must perform 30 hours of work-based learning, which could include community service, job shadowing, internships or paid work. That experience should give the students an idea of what career they want or don’t want, Collins said.

Senior year, students will have to give an oral presentation or produce a product.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” Ashcraft said. “They’re going to have to crank it up a notch and be ready to move into college or the work force.”

Chad Norman, Fairmont Senior High principal, said his school is focusing on breaking the project into pieces that are easier to achieve.

“If we break it down into smaller steps that are easier to address, they’ll learn skills and develop a portfolio of information that will help to get it done,” he said.

Ashcraft noted most of the technology, like Microsoft PowerPoint, projectors and streaming video are all being used in classrooms now.

“We believe every student can complete this,” Ashcraft said.

Plans are in place at each of the schools to give extra help or make modifications for those who need it.

“Will they all be able to do it at the same level? No,” Nuzum said. “But we can make strides by pushing them for excellence. Every child will benefit from this.”

Norman noted each student learns and performs at different levels, and that is a realistic approach to the project.

“We believe each student can do it,” he said.

The bar isn’t only being raised for the students.

Staff at each school basically has three years to teach the students what they’ll need to know to get their projects off the ground. Each of the principals at the county’s three high schools said most of the skills are being taught in classes now.

“It’s an issue of packaging it together,” Nuzum said. “Kids write term papers now. It’s just a matter of taking it one step further.”

While teachers are teaching and students are learning, Collins is gathering a pool of business people from any and all walks of life to help guide the class into graduation.

“I have 900 students with 900 interests,” Collins said.

She’s getting in touch with workers of any variety, whether they’re a retail clerk or a doctor. She’s looking for people willing to take an hour of their time to speak to a class about what they do, or invite a student or two to shadow them for a day as they do their jobs.

“I know there’s a wealth of people who could help if they knew what they could do,” Collins said.

If you are interested, Collins can be contacted by e-mail at lcollins@access.k12.wv.us, by phone at 657-7250, or she is based at the Barnes Alternative Learning Center.

E-mail Katie Wilson at kwilson@timeswv.com.