Mother and daughter receive quality education at Wayne County Schools Career Center
A local mother and daughter have taken advantage of affordable career training at the Wayne County Schools Career Center. Michelle Buckingham and her daughter, Lindsey, have both been students at the career center this past year.
Lindsey graduated from the high school practical nursing program in May 2010, and Michelle is finishing up a 10-month program in computer and accounting office specialist classes through adult and community education.
They both attended school for a few months last year, as Michelle started her one-year adult program in March while Lindsey was still a senior in high school.
Now a licensed practical nurse at the age of 18, Lindsey is working at Rittman Family Practice as an LPN.
“There are only three other practical nursing programs for high school students in Ohio,” said Jackie Shrock, practical nursing coordinator.
“At 18, Lindsey is fortunate to have a career established,” said her mother. “When you’re a high school student, you have to go to school anyway. If you’re interested, this training saves both time and money. It’s not wasted time. Even compared to the adult (practical nursing) program, this saves money. Lindsey has wanted to be a nurse since she was a little girl. For her, this was an easy decision.”
Lindsey did exceptionally well in her studies. “It was tough, but I really liked it,” she said. “You have to be dedicated. I studied every day. Even during summer break, we had summer homework. But it was really worth it.”
She is the first high school practical nursing graduate to work at Rittman Family Practice, replacing a career center adult LPN graduate who moved out of state.
Both mother and daughter recommend the career center to others. “The teachers are really helpful,” said Lindsey, “and knowledgeable,” added her mother.
Since Ohio Board of Nursing standards are so stringent, as seniors the practical nursing students start classes at 7:30 a.m., more than a half hour before their high school counterparts. Clinicals begin the second half of the junior year, where students get hands-on experience in local medical facilities.
“We worked with real people, which helps you prepare for the real world,” Lindsey said.
“She always has been more mature than other kids her age,” said Michelle.
Lindsey said it was helpful to have a close friend in the program, Ashley Boggs, also from Norwayne. But the girls studied separately.
“You have to learn to develop your own study habits,” said Lindsey. Her goal after working awhile is to get her bachelor’s degree in nursing, which is now available through a Bridge program at the career center. “My ultimate goal is to be a lifeflight nurse, which will take seven more years of training,” she said.
“Lindsey was a great student, very intelligent, personable, and excellent with patients and her peers,” said senior practical nursing instructor Pamela Vorkapich. “Lindsey’s patients looked forward to her smiling face and caring hands. She was one of the top students in her class and was one everyone could go to for help academically or clinically. Lindsey is a true model of one of our nurses.”
Michelle’s road to her new career has taken many twists and turns. She was a cosmetology student from Rittman at the career center in the late 1980s, then was a stay-at-home mom. After Lindsey was almost out of high school, she decided it was her turn to go back to school.
“I wanted a career, not just a job,” she said. “I like the smaller atmosphere at the career center, and I was familiar with the school, so I chose this instead of a big college. I’ve always been interested in office work and paperwork.”
She received financial aid for her full-time classes, and said the staff was “really helpful.” Michelle’s older daughter, Alyssa, is also looking into taking some adult education classes. “This is where Alyssa would come if she decides to go back to school,” she said.
Michelle took classes at the Gault Family Learning Center in Wooster and later at the career center in Smithville. Her accounting classes have been helpful at home as her husband, Matthew, is self-employed. She completed her training Jan. 19, and will do an externship in a local business office. Free job placement assistance is available at the end of the training period as well, said adult advanced computer instructor Anita Hawkins.
Learning about Microsoft Office computer programs was very helpful, she said. “I liked learning the full potential of the computer programs.”
Basic skill training in this program included accounting I, business English, calculator operation, filing, keyboarding, and office procedures. Advanced skill training included accounting II, data entry, critical thinking applications, Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, Windows, and Word. She also completed QuickBooks and automated accounting.
“Michelle always presented a positive attitude and pleasant demeanor,” said Hawkins. “She was a quick learner during training and has worked very hard to get through her classroom training.”
Full-time office technologies programs begin again in March, and it’s not too late to apply, said adult and community education manager Sandy Elliott. Another set of classes begin in late August. In all the office programs, students experience interactive software applications and do project simulations, develop a wide range of administrative skills, and practice ethical standards, confidentiality, and professionalism. Financial aid is available to those who qualify, college credit is offered through articulation agreements, and students can also earn industry credentials.
The Wayne County Schools Career Center is an authorized medical coding/billing test site, which is comfortable for career center students, said office technology instructor Michelle Hedberg. “And our employment placement rate was 90 percent in 2009 and 87 percent in 2010,” she added. Students can also earn their Microsoft certified application specialist (MCAS) certifications.
The full-time office technologies programs include computer and accounting office specialist (daytime), computer technology office specialist (daytime), medical office billing and coding specialist (daytime or evening), and computers for today’s office (evening).
For more information or to enroll, call the adult and community education office at 330-669-7070, or check the school’s website at http://www.wcscc.org.
Lindsey graduated from the high school practical nursing program in May 2010, and Michelle is finishing up a 10-month program in computer and accounting office specialist classes through adult and community education.
They both attended school for a few months last year, as Michelle started her one-year adult program in March while Lindsey was still a senior in high school.
Now a licensed practical nurse at the age of 18, Lindsey is working at Rittman Family Practice as an LPN.
“There are only three other practical nursing programs for high school students in Ohio,” said Jackie Shrock, practical nursing coordinator.
“At 18, Lindsey is fortunate to have a career established,” said her mother. “When you’re a high school student, you have to go to school anyway. If you’re interested, this training saves both time and money. It’s not wasted time. Even compared to the adult (practical nursing) program, this saves money. Lindsey has wanted to be a nurse since she was a little girl. For her, this was an easy decision.”
Lindsey did exceptionally well in her studies. “It was tough, but I really liked it,” she said. “You have to be dedicated. I studied every day. Even during summer break, we had summer homework. But it was really worth it.”
She is the first high school practical nursing graduate to work at Rittman Family Practice, replacing a career center adult LPN graduate who moved out of state.
Both mother and daughter recommend the career center to others. “The teachers are really helpful,” said Lindsey, “and knowledgeable,” added her mother.
Since Ohio Board of Nursing standards are so stringent, as seniors the practical nursing students start classes at 7:30 a.m., more than a half hour before their high school counterparts. Clinicals begin the second half of the junior year, where students get hands-on experience in local medical facilities.
“We worked with real people, which helps you prepare for the real world,” Lindsey said.
“She always has been more mature than other kids her age,” said Michelle.
Lindsey said it was helpful to have a close friend in the program, Ashley Boggs, also from Norwayne. But the girls studied separately.
“You have to learn to develop your own study habits,” said Lindsey. Her goal after working awhile is to get her bachelor’s degree in nursing, which is now available through a Bridge program at the career center. “My ultimate goal is to be a lifeflight nurse, which will take seven more years of training,” she said.
“Lindsey was a great student, very intelligent, personable, and excellent with patients and her peers,” said senior practical nursing instructor Pamela Vorkapich. “Lindsey’s patients looked forward to her smiling face and caring hands. She was one of the top students in her class and was one everyone could go to for help academically or clinically. Lindsey is a true model of one of our nurses.”
Michelle’s road to her new career has taken many twists and turns. She was a cosmetology student from Rittman at the career center in the late 1980s, then was a stay-at-home mom. After Lindsey was almost out of high school, she decided it was her turn to go back to school.
“I wanted a career, not just a job,” she said. “I like the smaller atmosphere at the career center, and I was familiar with the school, so I chose this instead of a big college. I’ve always been interested in office work and paperwork.”
She received financial aid for her full-time classes, and said the staff was “really helpful.” Michelle’s older daughter, Alyssa, is also looking into taking some adult education classes. “This is where Alyssa would come if she decides to go back to school,” she said.
Michelle took classes at the Gault Family Learning Center in Wooster and later at the career center in Smithville. Her accounting classes have been helpful at home as her husband, Matthew, is self-employed. She completed her training Jan. 19, and will do an externship in a local business office. Free job placement assistance is available at the end of the training period as well, said adult advanced computer instructor Anita Hawkins.
Learning about Microsoft Office computer programs was very helpful, she said. “I liked learning the full potential of the computer programs.”
Basic skill training in this program included accounting I, business English, calculator operation, filing, keyboarding, and office procedures. Advanced skill training included accounting II, data entry, critical thinking applications, Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, Windows, and Word. She also completed QuickBooks and automated accounting.
“Michelle always presented a positive attitude and pleasant demeanor,” said Hawkins. “She was a quick learner during training and has worked very hard to get through her classroom training.”
Full-time office technologies programs begin again in March, and it’s not too late to apply, said adult and community education manager Sandy Elliott. Another set of classes begin in late August. In all the office programs, students experience interactive software applications and do project simulations, develop a wide range of administrative skills, and practice ethical standards, confidentiality, and professionalism. Financial aid is available to those who qualify, college credit is offered through articulation agreements, and students can also earn industry credentials.
The Wayne County Schools Career Center is an authorized medical coding/billing test site, which is comfortable for career center students, said office technology instructor Michelle Hedberg. “And our employment placement rate was 90 percent in 2009 and 87 percent in 2010,” she added. Students can also earn their Microsoft certified application specialist (MCAS) certifications.
The full-time office technologies programs include computer and accounting office specialist (daytime), computer technology office specialist (daytime), medical office billing and coding specialist (daytime or evening), and computers for today’s office (evening).
For more information or to enroll, call the adult and community education office at 330-669-7070, or check the school’s website at http://www.wcscc.org.
Published: February 9, 2011
