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Students Learn Practical Side of Vocational Education Classes

Posted on: Thursday, 3 November 2005, 21:00 CST

By Serena Lei, The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham, Wash.

Nov. 3--Calculating the area of a triangle in math class holds little appeal for Windward High School senior Tony Castrejon, but show him why the measurements matter when designing hotrods and he's all ears.

"It's applying what you learn," Castrejon said.

The 17-year-old is taking a metalworking class at Ferndale High because the course isn't available at his smaller high school, which is also part of the Ferndale School District.

"A class like this teaches you a lot of skills you can use later in life," Castrejon said. "It keeps me motivated, makes me want to go to school a little more."

Castrejon has always been interested in metalwork, but students who know little about a trade can also benefit from vocational education.

At Ferndale High School, students are required to take three classes in vocational education over the course of four years. They can choose from nearly 60 classes in agriculture, industrial technology, business or family and consumer science.

More than 80 percent of students took vocational classes last year, said John Young, director of vocational education at Ferndale High.

Students get a chance to test out a few trades and, through Tech Prep, a statewide program, students can earn credits at community and technical colleges.

"We've kind of moved in vocational training from craft and hobby to actual career development," Young said. "Not everybody is going to college and we have to recognize that."

Young's biggest concern is that a focus on state test scores will take funding and student interest away from vocational electives, although many of these classes teach real-life applications for math and reading skills.

Computer-aided design classes are growing the fastest and aquaculture is also a popular class. The high school maintains 12 tanks to raise goldfish, salmon, tilapia and catfish.

In the greenhouse next to the aqua center, agriculture students grow vegetables and flowers and even take care of a small banana tree. A plant sale this spring generated roughly $3,000 for the school's FFA chapter.

Funds for the vocational programs are supplemented by grants and donations of expertise and money from local companies.

Students have more to choose from than shop class and home economics, but according to a report by the National Women's Law Center, high school career and technical education programs still break down by gender lines.

In Washington state, girls make up only 14 percent of students in non-traditional courses, such as automotive classes, according to the report.

Young said he sees more girls in child-care and cooking classes and more boys in engineering, but a more equal division in agriculture and computer classes.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham, Wash.

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Source: The Bellingham Herald, Wash.

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