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       · EDUCATION/MEDICAL

Caller-Times/File

EXAMPLE: Celia Chapman (left) shows her students how to draw blood in her phlebotomy class at Moody High School’s Health Science Academy in 2003.

Five academies
With the help of several area organizations, Moody High School is adding five career academies to join its Health Science Academy:
·: Pre-Engineering
·: Industrial Trades
·: Technology Management
·: Business and Professional
Management Services
·: Arts and Humanities
Educating future workers and leaders

Moody students will be channeled into new career academies

By Ofelia Garcia Hunter/Caller-Times

Local businesses and universities are joining forces to implement career-focused courses at Moody High School.

The idea is to implement five academies — Pre-Engineering, Industrial Trades and Technology Management, Business and Professional Management Services, and Arts and Humanities — within the high school alongside the Health Science Academy already in place.

The Health Science Academy program began two years ago and is in partnership with Christus Spohn Health System.

The U.S. Department of Education recently awarded a $499,719 grant for the academies. The grant will be distributed to the school through Aug. 31, 2005, as part of the department’s Smaller Learning Communities program.

"We are really excited about Moody stepping out and doing this," said Bob Grimes, Valero Refinery spokesman. "We need to give kids more options."

Local entities that have already committed to the program are Circle K, Valero Refinery, Workforce Development Board of the Coastal Bend, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Del Mar College.

Private sector obligation
Feeder-school students from Cunningham, Martin and South Park middle schools recently toured Moody and attended a presentation on the academies to help them decide on which academy path interests them. Students would declare an academy to help them concentrate on a life career.

The program is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2004.

Students will be allowed to change academies one time during their high school career.

Moody High School Principal Conrado Garcia said the academies’ success depends on its business partners.

"We are not asking for money," Garcia said. "We want them to invest by providing mentors, invest in student interns and give our kids jobs."

Grimes said businesses have an obligation to prepare students to go out into the workforce.

Stronger student body
Not everyone wants to go to college and get a degree, he said. Only about 20 percent of jobs require a college bachelor’s degree, but about 65 percent need a certification or associates, he said.

Certifications such as computer maintenance technician, welding technician, child development associate and professional engineer, are four of about 28 licenses available at the academies.

Moody school officials said the academies are geared to help students succeed and focus on a career early during their secondary school years.

"Our honor roll increased dramatically, almost tripled to 750 students when we first started our first academy," Garcia said. "We have to ask ourselves, ‘is it right for the kids?’"

Contact Ofelia Garcia Hunter at 886-3759 or huntero@caller.com
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