Part II: Building a Future with WCA

(The two-part Building a Future series explores what North Marion has to offer High School students who are interested in exploring careers and skilled trades in the Career Technical Education programs and career-related courses through Willamette Career Academy. See Part I on the North Marion School District website for more information on North Marion CTE classes.)

North Marion High School not only has a Career Technical Education (CTE) program that’s packed with promising students. There’s also a related program that intersects with CTE, the Willamette Career Academy (WCA), which expands all that North Marion can offer with some CTE programs of its own.

In WCA’s first year partnering with North Marion, eight local students have enjoyed developing career skills while garnering college credit and CTE credit in High School. The WCA, operated by the Willamette Education Service District and located in Salem, boasts programs in Diesel Technology, Health Services, and Cosmetology this year. In addition, Computer Science, Construction Technology, and Manufacturing Technology will debut this fall. In only its first year, WCA already has about 200 students, a little more than 40% of its 480-student capacity. 

Partners in Opportunity

WCA Principal Johnie Ferro noted that none of the Academy’s success would be possible without the support of Mountain West Investment Corporation and the 11 participating school districts, including North Marion. Ferro said she particularly appreciated how North Marion Superintendent Ginger Redlinger, also on the WESD Board, and other North Marion leaders have championed the partnership with the WCA.

“We appreciate the partnership from North Marion School District, from the leaders who have been challenged with arguably the hardest time in their professional careers who choose to put kids first before what is easiest for adults,” Ferro said.

Redlinger said that it has been a challenging year but with the help of the WCA and North Marion leaders (aka staff), it’s also been a time of opportunity for students to grow.

“I’m particularly proud of how our staff is collaborating with the WCA to support our students and enhance our already strong Career Technical Education programs,” she said. “At the WCA, our students receive advanced training in the program areas we offer and can also explore programs that we do not offer that are of interest to the students, including cosmetology and diesel mechanics.”

North Marion High School CTE Teacher Sherie Moran said that the WCA has been a great addition, as North Marion is small, with too few teachers to lead classes on every CTE course. It would be impossible for schools to offer the equipment and training for every area of interest. 

“The WCA acts as an extension to our offerings, both for us and for other rural schools in the region,” Moran said.  

Students can try out potential skilled trades and career paths, while developing applicable skills and certifications like a license to cut hair, the basics for an entry-level position in the heavy equipment industry, and the training to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA).

“The program overall offers students an opportunity to connect classes to their career choices and this is a highly unique high school experience,” North Marion College and Career Coordinator Ariel Ahlers said. “Additionally, the ability to graduate and sit for a cosmetology license or get your CNA license with little to no cost is an unbelievable opportunity for our students. For many students, this is a life changing opportunity because a cosmetology program can cost them thousands of dollars.”

Yet students say that WCA has taught them more than anticipated, as they find within themselves the precious soft skills employers prize, including communication, self-awareness, and digital fluency skills. That’s intentional. Ferro notes that 10 employability skills are interwoven into every course.

“They are the fundamental foundation building blocks for a successful, employable adult,” she said.

Praise for the WCA

Students really appreciate those employability skills, including North Marion junior Jennifer Gomez Peña, who is in the Health Services program of the WCA. Gomez Peña said that, in many ways, the WCA has been just what she is hoping for. Through the WCA, Gomez Peña is getting certified in CPR and first aid. She also intends to obtain her CNA license straight out of High School. Having credentials and experience will be a boon to Gomez Peña, who plans to become a nurse practitioner. 

She’s excited about how the WCA is jumpstarting her career, and she also admires the main instructor (a nurse and a mentor) and truly enjoys the classes, recently diving into a chapter on cancer medicine. Yet what surprised her was that being involved in the WCA helped her develop communications skills — and confidence.

“I’ve felt more outgoing and I’ve felt more confident,” she said. “I speak louder, and I do more looking out at the crowd. I speak like I want to be heard, and it’s been very empowering.”

Alex Leonard Casteel, also a North Marion junior, agrees, saying that they also feel like they have matured while in the WCA. Leonard Casteel is studying cosmetology, for which there are four branches: hair design, barbering, esthetics (which includes procedures such as facials), and nail design. Leonard Casteel plans to learn a little about each, and, through the WCA, to get licensed in either hair or nail design. 

Leonard Casteel is planning to attend college to study fashion design and to enter that field upon graduation. If that field doesn’t pan out, they note that they will have what they call a “well-paying back-up plan.” 

Specifically, they said that working with clients in a social environment like a salon has helped them feel more at ease in social situations.

“It’s definitely helped me with getting out of my shell and helped me be more comfortable with myself and more confident with my ability,” Leonard Casteel said.

Not only are students pleased with their skills and future careers, they’re also sometimes surprised by how much they come to know through WCA’s hands-on coursework. Senior Ethan Gianella said that he didn’t realize how much he had picked up in his WCA Diesel Technology class until he opened the hood of his truck.

“I was working on my truck at home, and I realized, shoot, I learned that in Diesel Tech,” Gianella recalled. “WCA, it’s a really good program.”

Ahlers said students are flourishing in WCA’s debut year, and they are outspoken in their support of the program.

“Overall, this program offers the opportunity for students to learn a vocation while finishing their High School Diploma, and for some students, WCA is what helps motivate them to graduate,” Ahlers said. “Like many CTE courses, these programs offer students the ability to try out careers in a risk-free environment and help prevent costly career changes down the road.”

WCA affords students with a great opportunity to garner essential job skills, hone crucial soft skills, and pocket some college credit. They’re essentially taking those first shaky steps toward finding a career, but within a safe space where they can become stronger gradually before taking firm strides out the door and into a future that’s wide open and full of hope.

To share stories on the North Marion School District, contact Communications Specialist Jillian Daley at jillian.daley@nmarion.k12.or.us.