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Area high school students can get a jump on their future as Indiana University Kokomo is partnering with local high schools to offer more college and career opportunities.

IUK received a $1.2 million Explore, Engage and Experience (3E) grant from the Indiana Department of Education. The university partnered with four schools: Northwestern, Maconaquah, Tipton and Frankfort.

3E grants are through federal pandemic relief money and meant to expand career pathways for students.

IUKs grant will fund the development of additional pathways in business, health science, health care, computer science and possibly humanities and arts. Leah Nellis, IU senior advisor for regional campus K-12 initiatives, said these pathways were identified as needs and interests at the partnering high schools.

Pathways will be developed this year with a 2023-24 roll out. Courses through IUK are expected to be dual credit, meaning students will earn both high school and college credit.

The grant comes at a time when Northwestern is preparing to expand its career and technical courses. Its part of the districts multi-million-dollar school improvement project, expected to begin next year.

We really need to find our niche, said Superintendent Kristen Bilkey. This couldnt have come at a better time.

Pathways will be modeled after IUKs Tomorrows Teachers program, which helps high school students interested in becoming teachers earn credits toward an education degree.

Students can earn up to 12 credits that count toward a teaching degree before theyre a college freshman. IUK instructors teach courses at local high schools and students go to campus a few times.

Nellis said the model is helpful in multiple ways. Aside from being more affordable, it exposes students to the college experience. Students develop relationships with professors. Nellis said students who have gone through the Tomorrows Teachers program speak highly of their experience.

They already have relationships here (on campus), and it fosters a sense of confidence, she said. There wasnt that typical freshman experience of, Oh my gosh what am I doing?

Kokomo and Western schools participate in Tomorrows Teachers. The grant expands the program to more districts, including Tipton.

We think for us, its going to pay off in the end, said Tipton Superintendent Ryan Glaze. It really expands a great deal of opportunities for our kids.

The superintendent said the biggest draw of the grant for Tipton was that it affords for a college and career counselor position. This person will help students find available careers, stay on track to earn their diploma and/or degree and find internships and work-based learning opportunities.

Northwestern will add a similar position.

The school corporation was a partner in another 3E grant with Wabash Valley Education Center in Lafayette.

Bilkey said the education service center will assist in expanding education pathways at partner schools and help recruit teachers.

Both of these opportunities provide some funding to take chances to help our kids, Bilkey said.

IUKs transition to teaching program stands to get a boost, too. The program helps college graduates with a degree earn a teaching license, mainly for those wanting a career change.

Nellis said the grant will cover the cost for people in computer science or informatics get their license.

There are new Indiana standards for computer science, and a lack of teachers to teach them. Nellis said that although some schools have teachers who can teach the new standards, having teachers with a background in computer science will benefit students more.

We know there is a need for a computer science high school pathway, and schools dont have (the teachers), she said.

IUKs grant also includes career exploration curriculum for partnering schools. The curriculum is for grades kindergarten through eighth and meant to introduce students to possible careers.

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IUK to partner with area schools to expand career exploration - Kokomo Tribune