SAFE providing opportunities for Central students

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Special to the News

Submitted by Jacques Mitchell

Central High School (CHS) was excited to offer rising students the opportunity to receive workforce skills through the continued partnership with The Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement (SAFE) Workforce Ready! (WFR!) Program.

This opportunity was available this summer to the high school’s upcoming freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The “Pay to Learn” model was utilized, which means students who participated in the program were also paid at a rate of $10 per hour.

The program began on Monday, June 1, and ended on Thursday, June 25. The working hours were from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Bus transportation, as well as breakfast and lunch, were provided by Central High School through their regular summer programs.

The program was divided into two two-week programs offered Monday through Thursday of each week. The first two weeks focused on the rising freshmen, and the last two weeks centered on the upperclassmen.

Moreover, the SAFE Workforce Ready! program was designed to prepare participants educationally for transition into the workforce. The program provided a variety of learning situations to help participants achieve self-assurance, become self-motivated, make better decisions, deal with stress and emotions, set priorities, and move toward personal goals.

The major focus of attention was placed on self-concept, self-esteem, employment skills, and behaviors. Open communication was encouraged; however, negative comments were not tolerated.

Ms. Valerie Smith describes the importance of having presenters this way, “One great thing about the SAFE program at Central Coosa is we invite members of our own communities to come and speak with our students, sharing their experiences and knowledge from a variety of careers. This is an important part of the program because it allows students to hear first hand from people who they may know personally and can identify with, about how it is possible to become the lawyer, entrepreneur, nurse, soldier, teacher, etc. that they have always wanted to be. Guest speakers that come from the students’ own communities can inspire them to believe in their goals and to understand that with hard work and determination, their desired careers are certainly achievable.”

Future Central success stories were fostered and equipped with essential knowledge about their desired career pathways. They were enlightened each day by engaging presenters from the Coosa County community in professional careers, such as teachers, farmers, veterans, literacy artists, manufacturing supervisors, business owners, radiologists, police officers, and executive directors.

The culmination of this empowering program was reached on July 9, with the completion of the participants’ mock interviews. During the program, students were able to create and refine their resumes with the goal of obtaining an actual career in their desired profession.

In the words of Ms. Toccarro Long, “It’s always exciting to see the looks on students’ faces when you tell them that they have to conduct a mock interview. Immediately, the questions start to roll in.. ‘What do I have to do?’ ‘What do I have to say?’ ‘Who will be interviewing me?’ etc. After all the questions, comes the reluctance and the hesitance…. ‘I’ve never done an interview before; I’m nervous,’ ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to do that,’ ‘I’m too shy to talk in front of people.’ I believe seeing them get nervous and anxious about doing the mock interview has to be one of my favorite things to see. It’s refreshing to see them go from extremely nervous to totally executing the interview.”

 

After learning about and creating cover letters and resumes and practicing the interview process, the students were prepared for their interviews. Although the students arrived at the school still nervous, they now had a certain level of confidence about themselves. Confidence that was not recognizable when they were initially told they would be participating in mock interviews.

They arrived well dressed in their Sunday best, a sight we rarely get to see on a regular school day, but they wore their young professional attire well.

Once students complete their interviews, it is always a pleasure to see that little sigh of relief. Then you hear students say things like “That wasn’t bad at all; I was worried for no reason” or “I didn’t think that I would be able to do that, but I did.”

That is one of the favorite parts about the whole mock interview process, watching the kids who doubted themselves invest in their future selves. To see them accomplish something they once thought they could not, makes all the extra work worth it. Jacques Mitchell loves the fact that he gets to witness the students see that with great preparation and planning, they can accomplish anything they put their minds to.

We would like to highlight, with great pride, our cast of interviewers, including former assistant principal and Coosa County Technical Director Coach Calvin McKinney, former CHS bookkeeper Mrs. Gail Ezekiel, current technology instructor and Coach Brett Thomas, and CHS Principal Mrs. Brandi Lee.

Ms. Dytisha Goodgame was in charge of our SAFE luncheon. She has used the following sentences to describe the importance of this luncheon, “At the end of the summer session for the rising freshmen, we have a luncheon. The meal provides an opportunity for the students and staff to socialize in a family-like, comfortable environment. The meal consisted of smoked chicken, grilled steaks, rolls, baked potatoes with toppings, salad, fresh fruit, beverages (water, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, ginger-ale, and Coke), and a cake. The students, as well as the staff, look forward to this. The luncheon supports SAFE’s philosophy of making students feel supported, involved and understood.”

The SAFE philosophy is at the heart of every aspect of the Coosa County Program. This philosophy is expounded on by Coach Brett Thomas using the description “heart,” “SAFE was created on a simple but powerful philosophy; when students feel supported, involved and genuinely understood, they succeed academically, socially and emotionally. Seeing the students’ skits gives life to SAFE’s mission. You can see how the program gives them confidence, a sense of belonging and the ability to work through real challenges. A humanities program would strengthen that impact by giving students more ways to express themselves and strengthen their ability to make meaning out of their experiences. Through storytelling, drama, journaling, and lessons about humanity, they will learn to reflect, communicate and empathize, which are the same skills that SAFE is already building. Humanities would provide them a creative, low-pressure environment to explore who they are and how they relate to others. This will enrich and enhance the SAFE program’s mission to support the whole student.”

With this philosophy in mind, during our second SAFE session, we utilized the following participants to create a skit about making good choices, Camryn McCain, Spencer Thompson, D’Ambri Lee, Kalicia Davis, Zacharian Edwards, and Kamari Edwards.

In the second group, we utilized the following upperclassmen to create a video advertisement for the SAFE program: Labroadus Mitchell, Makayla Fluker, Makaylee Stone, Madison Harris, and Makalia Kelly.

If you would like for your young adult to participate in this program, please email Jacques Mitchell at jmitchell@coosaschools.org or call CHS at 256-377-4384. We would love to have them partake in this awesome program!

We will begin our new session on Monday, August 17, from 3–5 p.m. on the CHS campus only. Also, students who participate in extracurricular activities will have the opportunity to still participate from 5–7 p.m on campus.