SoCal ROC Students Share their Career Pathways at Annual Appreciation Luncheon

SoCal ROC hosted its annual Counselor / Administrator Appreciation Luncheon on January 13, 2011. Administrators and counselors from the seven Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) school districts in the South Bay were recognized by SoCal ROC staff and by SoCal ROC Board of Education for their partnership with SoCal ROC. The partnership between SoCal ROC and the JPAs is to provide Career Technical Education (CTE) for all high school students. High School students engage in a program of study that involves a multi-year sequence of courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to postsecondary education and careers. After a lunch buffet was served to the guests, a SoCal ROC student representing each of the school districts spoke of how they are developing their career pathways with SoCal ROC courses. Below are the student's testimonies:

Centinela Valley Union High School District
Cory Rotella, Senior at LLoyde High School
Cory is currently completing the first semester of SoCal ROC's Automotive Systems course and will begin the course sequence: Automotive Systems II at the end of January 2011. Last year, he completed a semester of the Automotive Technician course. Cory said, "I decided to take these courses because I have been fascinated by cars as a young boy. I decided to become a mechanic and my career pathway at SoCal ROC is Vehicle Maintenance, Service, and Repair." Cory's future plans are to open his own auto shop. He has been accepted at the Universal Technical Institute in Rancho Cucamonga where he will be pursuing an Automotive Technician degree.

El Segundo Unified School District
Sarah Araujo, Senior at El Segundo High School
Sarah said that her passion is to become a doctor. Sarah is currently attending the SoCal ROC Medical Assisting Administrative and Clinical course. She said, In my medical class, I am currently learning how to chart patients, how to dress and bandage, and how to take vital signs which includes respiration, temperature, and blood pressure. Upon receiving her Certificate of Competency from the SoCal ROC Medical Assisting Administrative and Clinical course, she plans to join the Air Force to pursue the nursing pathway.

Inglewood Unified School District
Karen Luna, Senior at Inglewood High School
Karen informed the audience, "What I like about SoCal ROC is how you can get a taste of many different careers and see how you like it before you go to college." Karen stated that her passion is in math and animals. Karen is currently taking the Banking and Finance course to use her math skills and to learn about the finance elements of banking. Last year, she completed the Pet Grooming and Boarding course at SoCal ROC. She said, "I enjoyed the Pet Grooming and Boarding course and I learned how to properly care for animals. With my own three pets, this course has taught me many helpful techniques to care for them." Karen plans to become a Veterinarian. To continue to pursue her career interests in the Animal Science pathway, she will begin the Veterinary Assistant course at SoCal ROC at the end of January 2011.

Manhattan Beach Unified School District
Gina Alfandary, Senior at Mira Costa High School
In September 2010, Gina began career pathway in Network Communications to learn about computers. She is currently taking the Computer Technician course and the A+ Certification course. Gina said, "I felt that taking the classes would be beneficial to my future, whether I want to continue in the computer field or at least have a part time job with computers while in college." She is learning about functions of computer technology including the software components in the A+ Certification course and hardware components in the Computer Technician course. Gina will be continuing her studies in the computer field at a University of California campus or at a California State University campus in fall of 2011.

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
Lauren Kagei, Senior at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Lauren explained that she is taking the Cosmetology course because she wanted to learn how to do make-up and hair properly. She also said that she likes to help people feel better and increase their self-esteem. Lauren plans to earn income as a cosmetologist while she attends William Woods University in Missouri in fall of 2011. She plans to double major in Equestrian Science and Equine Administration at William Woods University.

Redondo Beach Unified School District
Emily Honnell, Junior at Redondo Union High School
Emily began her career pathway in September 2010, enrolling in SoCal ROC's Adobe Suite module courses: InDesign and Photoshop. She enjoys computer graphics and is learning how to do magazine layouts with the Adobe InDesign software. In the spring 2011, Emily will continue developing her Photoshop skills in the Silkscreen/Production Art course. Emily's future plans are to attend college to become a graphic designer and/or to become a representative for the Arthritis Foundation. She served as the 2010 Youth Honorary for the Los Angeles Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.

Torrance Unified School District
Carlos Chan, Senior at Torrance High School
Carlos aspires to be a Multi-Media/ Graphic Designer. His next step is to earn a degree from California State University, Long Beach. His ultimate goal is to own a graphic design company. Carlos has completed the following SoCal ROC courses in the Arts/ Media & Entertainment Sector pathway: Media Design 1 & 2, Media Design 3 & 4, Silkscreen/ Production Art, Web Page Design, Desktop Publishing, and is currently completing Silkscreen/ Production Art II and Media Design 5 & 6. In the upcoming spring semester, he will continue to hone his creative skills in the Adobe software course sequence: After Effects and also in a new SoCal ROC pathway course: Intro to Transportation Design. Carlos stated, "Because of SoCal ROC, I have been able to gain a foundation for my future career and to start working in that career pathway before graduating high school. This enables myself and others to see what it is like out in the real world. There is no other place that can offer what SoCal ROC has to offer and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend courses here."

News ID# 31