The former Vocational Advisory Council of Canton School District has recently been reactivated and is currently developing a Career Awareness Program to use with students next year. The council will meet from four to six times a year and meeting dates will be scheduled on the School Activities Calendar at the next meeting on May 22. The purpose of the council is to advise the vocational department; identify problems and seek solutions; promote vocational education; and develop a partnership with the business community. Members of the council include Jeanne Robertson of the Graham Hospital School of Nursing (health), Ken Long of the National Bank (business), John Wertman for agriculture, Bob Pavley of Canton Industrial Corporation (industry), Ilene Carter of Monical’s (home economics) and Kim Boelkes, high school home economics teacher (district vocational coordinator). Current plans include forming subcommittees with the addition of five to ten more individuals in each department, also to be developed at the May 22 meeting. Boelkes said Thursday the group hopes to make students not planning to go to college more aware of careers and options available to them by providing information to them and their parents. “We’re just at the beginning stage,” Boelkes said. Next year, the council plans to recognize achievement by naming a Vocational Student of the Month each month. Boelkes said business people she has talked to support the council. A partnership program with the business community would “introduce students to vocations that are actually available in the Canton community,” she added. She said she hoped every student, both college-bound and those not planning college in the near future, would give consideration to the partnership program. Long-range goals include working with Paul Langan, dean of vocational education at Spoon River College, to make a transitional program from the high school to the college, utilizing SRC.
Caption: Serve on council: The former Canton School District Vocational Advisory Council has recently been re-activated and is currently developing a Career Awareness Program for students by next year. Seated in the front row, are council members Jeanne Robertson, health; Kim Boelkes, vocational coordinator; and Ilene Carter, home economics. In back row from left are Ken Long, business; John Wertman, agriculture; and Bob Paveley, industry.
