Students in the Applied Career Exploration class learn practical work skills in the course, which includes participating in during-school jobs and job training. Teacher Jennifer Casselman helps organize students with their jobs.

“The goal of this Applied Career Exploration class is to be able to find the students paid employment when they graduate,” Casselman says. “Our freshmen and sophomores focus on jobs in school, and we take the juniors and seniors out of school for job training, as well as in-school jobs.” 

There are a variety of in-school jobs to help out staff members around the building. Students work in the library, cafe, athletic department and do recycling. 

“The students do their in school jobs during their resource class, which is like a study hall,” Casselman says. “They do different jobs independently to help the staff around the building which teaches them skills to be successful in a paid job.”

Juniors and seniors get one-on-one help finding a job outside of school that fits their skill sets. The goal of this is to set students up for a successful long-term paid job.

“I work at Sugar Grove now for my job,” says Kimmi Johnson ‘24. “This will help me work at either Walmart or my dream job, which is Disney’s Tower of Terror after I graduate.”

Johnson will be able to use the skills taught by her teachers in job training and her hands-on experience at Sugar Grove in her future job. Other students are also using their experience to find out where they want to work in the future. Will Caperton ‘24 currently works at Goodwill and is still figuring out where to work in the future.

“Will is unsure where he wants to work when he graduates but he would like to work in the retail setting,” Casselman says. “This could be stocking shelves, helping customers find merchandise, etc.”

Caperton can use the skills taught at his current job and in-job training to help him in his future job. 

This week, the class is hosting an event called the C3 store to give students a chance to show off skills they’ve been learning and practicing. The students practice working in a retail environment by selling merchandise at this event.

“Much of the merchandise is donated by local businesses, staff members and families,” Casselman says. “The rest of the merchandise is sold by a variety of vendors – many of whom are CGHS staff members.”

The students have spent the last semester focusing on learning about retail and preparing for the C3 store. This event is an opportunity for staff to support this program and their students. The C3 store is held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. 

“It’s a great chance for staff to support other staff as well as the students,” Casselman says. “Profits from the C3 Store are used to pay for future program needs, community trips and donations to Emma’s Art Kits through the Cancer Support Community.”