We all want students to receive a well-rounded education. That’s why it’s essential to look beyond test scores and focus on providing kids with the skills and experiences they need to succeed as adults. Ben Hegedish, superintendent of Independence Local Schools, wholeheartedly believes in this philosophy. “We really feel strongly that our kids need to be prepared for their futures,” he says. With this goal in mind, Independence Local Schools developed the Road to Readiness program aimed at graduating future-ready students.
To create the Road to Readiness program, the district partnered with Jessica Hyser, the economic development director for the City of Independence, and Norm Potter from Structured Creativity Consulting. With more than 800 businesses in Independence and about 80 students in each graduating class, the program could easily be tailored to meet the specific needs of each student.
The team engaged with middle and high school teachers and administrators during the school year to develop the program. In March, a group of teachers spent a day visiting five local businesses — Precision Environmental, MAI Capital Management, Melt Bar & Grilled, CSA Group and ROE Dental Laboratory. Teaching staff also received a presentation on the types of skills and qualities employers find most valuable from Team NEO.
The goal was to expose teachers to various career paths and opportunities so they could take this knowledge and integrate it into their classroom lessons.
“The first prong is helping our teaching staff learn about these opportunities and embed these types of real-world projects, problems and experiences into their classrooms,” Hegedish explains. “The second step is partnering with businesses and industries to come into our schools to guest teach and conduct career day activities.”
The third prong, he adds, are the customized experiences where students are going to businesses for immersive opportunities and making connections with potential career mentors.
During the spring, Micki Dotson, a business teacher at the high school, led a group of about 20 students on a visit to MAI Capital Management. The teens talked with financial professionals, and each student prepared questions for the staff, which were answered during a Q&A session.
“Even though students taking my classes may not all go into business, they appreciated it,” says Dotson.
“Our business community has loved this program,” Hyser adds. “And I’m excited our kids are getting a great experience.”
