ISD Freshmen Get Business Boost

Today, the Independence School District shared in an incredible partnership to help ISD freshmen begin their career path. The district held a Career Skills Fair at MCC’s Business and Technology Center. This was an amazing opportunity for 1,000 students to partner with more than 70 area businesses to learn more about how they do business. Superintendent Dr. Dale Herl said, “I’m very impressed with our students and how engaged they’ve been talking with these business leaders. I’m so happy we’ve had so much interest from businesses throughout the metro to become partners in our Career Academies.  We are excited about the partnerships and very appreciative of the time these industry leaders are spending with our students.”  A few of the businesses present today include Cisco Systems, Hollis + Miller Architects, Bayer Crop Science, Burns and McDonnell, Independence Police Department and the Independence Fire Department.

Greg Moore, a design architect with AOS was very impressed with the event and said “I think this is a great chance for the students. I never had anything like this when I was a kid. It exposes them to the different job opportunities there are and plays right into what the district is trying to do with the Ford Next Generation Career Academies. It helps students decide what it is they want to do with their lives and start planting those seeds so they can make plans now.”

This is part of the Independence School District’s partnership as a Ford Next Generation Learning (NGL) community. This means the school district is part of a growing network that is transforming public high schools into career-themed academies. The academies provide opportunities for high school students to learn academics through the lens of a potential career such as engineering, health care, technology and marketing. This model better prepares students for college and professional success in today’s competitive global economy.