For the past 16 years, students at McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri, have been leaving their classrooms to enter the work environments of their choosing. The Community Learning Program (CLP) is a school-business partnership that has provided many of these students with that most valuable of learning situations—a stepping-stone to future careers.
The CLP is the brainchild of former principal Bill Hampton. Every semester, CLP teachers canvass area businesses to invite them to participate. To enter the one-semester program, students must complete an application and go through a screening process to assess their reliability and the strength of their career focus. Students don't get paid for their forays into the business world, but they do receive school credit. They also must provide their own transportation between the school and the work site.
A Plethora of Professions
A remarkable feature of our Community Learning Program is its wide range of career exploration offerings. Rather than rely on a few standard placement areas as some programs do, CLP staff members attempt to match individual students with the career that especially interests them. First, they find out what area a student wants to explore; then, they try to find a placement for that student in the appropriate workplace. The business will next interview the student. Some of the topics selected by McCluer North students include TV and radio production, archaeology, law and law enforcement, engineering, fire fighting, nursing, auto body, physical therapy, restaurant and hotel management, mortuary science, pharmacy, X-ray technology, farming, wildlife management, special education, business management, computers and electronics, architecture, medical research, social work, aircraft line service, graphic arts, public relations, and welding.
Most students in the program are at their work sites for a three-class time period each day, four days a week. There, under the supervision of their sponsor, they observe and participate in workday endeavors. The CLP staff encourages as much hands-on activity as possible. With the opportunities for shadowing and questioning, students gain valuable insights into particular fields.
On the fifth day of each week, CLP students remain at school for a “day-in.” The staff and students review and discuss the week's activities and participate in program activities. All students are required to write a daily journal of activities and experiences, keep a time log, and prepare a semester project that reflects their understanding of their chosen field. This may take the form of a formal paper, demonstration, or exhibit.
The Value of Community Learning
- 92 percent of former CLP students felt the program was the most rewarding experience they had had in high school.
- 95 percent of the graduates believed the CLP helped them make career goals and decisions.
- 85 percent responded that it helped them make educational plans.
- 86 percent said they learned a useful skill because of the program.
- 70 percent found the contacts they made helpful once out of school.
- 50 percent said the CLP opened the door to employment for them.
- 99 percent said they would recommend the program to other students.
But perhaps it is the words of the students as adults that reflect best on the value of our Community Learning Program: Nurse: “Great experience; I wouldn't have chosen nursing as my profession if it weren't for CLP!”Optician: “The CLP allows you to assess the real world before you become a part of it.”Pediatric Nurse: “I got to see so many things that students my age never got to see.”Ph.D., Plant Genetics: “It was my only chance to get some experience in agriculture. I would encourage more people to get involved in CLP.”Fire Fighter: “This is an exceptional program to test the waters.”Physical Therapist: “I strongly urge anyone attending McCluer North to get into the Community Learning Program. The experience you will gain in one semester will definitely supplement all four years of your education in the classroom.”Teacher's Aide: “I confirmed my lifelong dream of being a teacher.”Radio Announcer: “Some say, and I have witnessed to some degree, that it's extremely hard to break into broadcasting. I think about it and thanks be to McCluer North for my CLP. If I hadn't been so fortunate to go to a school with such a program, I wouldn't have known where to begin.”Veterinarian: “My CLP professional discussed with me the importance of education and planning. He was very caring and helped me to be caring toward my patients.”
The Road Not Taken
Another benefit of CLP is the insights it has given students who decided not to pursue a career they had explored through their CLP experience. These students have expressed their appreciation that this program prevented them from making the costly mistake of pursuing what would have been an unrewarding career.
As the survey shows, the CLP is an effective program method for providing students with the career exploration that can help them plan their futures. It is a workable school-business partnership arrangement for learning outside the traditional classroom.
Simply put, and according to former students, the Community Learning Program works!
