Throughout high school, students are constantly thinking about how they want their future to look, especially their junior year. During junior year, your counselors become very involved and you begin to look at colleges and the programs they offer that would best fit your future career path. At the school, juniors and seniors are offered the option of attending the LEAD Center, Cass Career Center, or Summit Tech as a way to get a head start on their career while also gaining credit to graduate. There are a few eligibility requirements to become part of these vocational programs. According to their website, CCC requires applicants to be in 11-12th grade, sustain a 2.5 or above GPA, have 90% attendance at their high school, and perform a mandated interview with the instructor before enrollment.

And junior Sophia Biondo attends Cass Career Center as she plans to become a radiologist. Biondo completed the eligibility process and began quickly after this past summer break. Biondo described her daily routine at CCC to be simple. The first semester is note-focused within their workbooks and mannequin-based practice, while the second semester is an opportunity to use their skills, hands-on in local nursing homes.

While it may seem that being away from the high school for a half-day each day is a missed opportunity to gain class credits, at CCC, the students gain English and math credits while participating. On Thursdays they focus on math and english work that connects to their majors, filling in for the credits missed, Biondo touches on this topic.

“I have found that the workload is manageable between Cass and the high school which is great so I can stay on top of my work, I almost always finish my work during class time at Cass,” says Biondo.

Participating in a vocational program is a great opportunity to start your career early but also to form bonds with people who share the same interests from different schools, people you may not have encountered before. Biondo speaks on her experience of doing this type of program.

“I enjoy meeting new people at CCC, it allows me to create connections with people who also share the interest in health services,” mentioned Biondo.

Taking advantage of the offerings that the high school provides its students to jumpstart their careers is a unique opportunity that not many schools provide. Biondo plans to attend CCC for her coming senior year, become an registered nurse assistant (RNA) and is curious to learn how to draw blood within the next year. Biondo speaks on how the Cass Career Center best prepares her for her career path.

“It is a great opportunity to be in a different learning environment than in a regular classroom, it is very hands-on, and you can get a view of what your future may look like,” says Biondo.