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GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Career and Technical Education programs give students a break from traditional classrooms and allow them to grab industry certifications. At Clay High, veterinary program instructor Chad Rix looks over a class in the third of four classes in the program. A veterinarian for about 20 years in the U.S. Army, Rix is teaching students how to properly restrain and take temperatures on dogs Tuesday morning. “It teaches [the students] animal behavior,” Rix said. “It teaches them signs and symptoms.” 

Students can earn the animal science specialist, agriculture associate and veteran assistant certifications at Clay High. He said the first year of the programs is medical terminology and concepts, but students can learn veterinarian practices through hands-on training. Rix, who also coaches the school’s swim team, said the program is popular because students get to handle cows, chickens, cats and dogs.

To become a certified veterinary assistant, students need 250 hours in the classroom and 250 hours in the field. “I have four local veterinary clinics we work with where students after school go out, wear scrubs and they volunteer and get their hours,” Rix said. “I’d say we’ve already got 15 kids who have already gotten jobs or hired from internships.” Sophomore Railey Nolen said she’s working on her certifications and already has experience working at a local veterinary office. Nolen said she wants to pursue a career in the animal field. “You get to interact with animals,” Nolen said. “You get to do nail clippings and baths. That’s fun to learn how to do.” Principal Jennifer Halter said high schools offer more choices in programs than in the past. “This is a way we can support our kids to take a career path and I love it gives them excitement to look forward to something in school,” Halter said. Across the school in a refrigerated classroom/kitchen, students don chef’s whites in Clay High’s culinary program.

Animals in the veterinary and agriculture programs do not end up in the culinary program, other than eggs, Rix laughed. Culinary instructor Crystal Rice, who has a background in catering, taught students how to make a topping for a pumpkin cheesecake on Tuesday. She said providing real-world experiences to students makes the job worth it. The program offers ServSafe management certifications. The program has four levels. Rice said cooking is an art form giving students several ways to express themselves. “The goal is to get all of the Level 3s and Level 4s certified,” Rice said. “This allows them to walk into the restaurant industry with a certification and step into those roles.” Seniors Alanna Hobby and Stephen Napoli are both advanced in the program and see themselves being in the field postgraduation.

They cater to programs like ROTC, football and band. Another feature is Devil’s Diner, where students recreate a high-pressure kitchen environment to prepare meals for faculty and staff. “It’s the best class at Clay High, honestly,” Hobby said. “It’s a great environment. You walk in and everybody is really inviting and helps each other out.” Napoli called the program an escape from usual academics. “[For Devil’s Diner], this turns into a full-sized restaurant for a day basically,” Napoli added. Christine Wirt, Clay High College and Career Coach for CTE programs, said the multitude of programs help students decide what they want to do. District Career and Technical Education Supervisor Alice Paulk added that every student has a program or class that’s the highlight of their day.

While the district wants students to grab certifications and experience, at least the CTE programs can provide soft skills like time management, Paulk said. “We want our students to leave the CTE programs ready to enter the workforce,” Paulk said. “We hear from employers, ‘If we can get somebody here on time, we can train them.’ That’s where employers are at.”

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