GlenOak High School offers variety of career tech options for students. Here are a description of some of the career techs offered at the high school.

Engineering

There are many career techs that students at GlenOak can pursue. One of them is the Engineering Tech taught by Jim Walbeck. Students seeking a career in engineering and wish to take the career tech, according to Walbeck, have to love math and science.

Students who take this career tech learn a variety of skill sets that will help them as they pursue their engineering careers. The students will learn everything from how to make a 3D design on the computer, to how to solder which is taking pieces of metal and attaching wires onto a motherboard or other pieces of metal by melting it onto the surface. Walbeck’s main goal for all his students is for them to get into college and already be able to go right into the college of engineering. Also all students will have their OSHA safety certification coming out of the career tech. This will allow them to be able to work with any piece of engineering. Students will also earn two credit hours from Mount Union. When the class is asked about how their experience is in the Tech, it was all good things to be said about it.

— Zach Curaile

Health Tech

The health tech program is a two year program where students get exposure to sports medicine, exercise science and physical therapy.

Students get to the opportunity to partake in multiple fields of medicine. Students are able to help instructor Shaheen in the field such as helping at sporting event like baseball, football and basketball.

Students in Health Tech will learn skills conducive to sports medicine professions. They will learn about the evaluation, treatment, prevention and emergency care of sports related injuries. Skills acquired include application of orthopedic taping, injury assessment, and first aid/CPR.

“Some of my goals in my program is have students get exposure to different healthcare fields, and find what their interests are, as well as what their disinterest are” Shaheen said.

Students who are interested in science and medicine should take this course. If they are interested in clinical and hands on learning they will be successful.

“I like being with my friends, and doing projects that are hands on. The teacher and fellow students are very commutative and friendly,” junior Austin Clapper said.

Many students who enroll in the program enter exercise science, athletic training, or pre-professional medical programs at four year college universities. Some s

3.3 students have pursued two year degrees in emergency medicine or physical therapy assistants. During the year students have the opportunity to complete mentorships with GlenOak athletic programs, Plain Township Fire/EMS, Mercy Medical Center, NEO Physical Therapy, Concorde Physical Therapy, McBrearty Chiropractic, and Impulse Personal Training amongst others.

— Evan Norris

Teacher Pathways

There are many interesting career tech programs at GlenOak, including The Teacher Pathways Program. If one loves to work with children and would like to possibly have a teaching profession in the future, then this is the perfect career tech for you. Teacher Pathways teaches the students about being a teacher, then gives them hands on field experience in schools with growing and learning children throughout the district.

Students will learn many skills throughout this program. Certain skills, students will use on an everyday basis, and other skills they will not. One of the primary, and most important skills that students acquire are proper communication skills.

“Students will learn how to properly communicate with their students and their parents, as well as how to communicate with other teachers,” teacher Elizabeth Winkler said. Using these communication skills, students will know how to communicate with their students, for the future in a way that would help them in their learning process. Students will also know how to distinguish the communication differences between communicating with the parents of their students and communicating with other teachers and staff members.

— Olivia Richards

Construction

Many career techs are offered at GlenOak, if you’re into using power tools and learning the basic principles of masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, residential and commercial trades- construction is for you.

Brad Kessler has been teaching construction for 18 years, providing students with the skills of powertools and the basic skills of many trades.

“I want my students to go 3 different directions, onto a university with courses like construction management, and civil engineering, or going through apprenticeship programs in ohio, or just going to a better standing job. Kessler said.

Students can pursue many opportunities from taking this career tech.

“Senior year you can enter a program called Early Placement which is a school to work program where you can get hands on experience and get paid. Shadowing, or an internship where you can actually see if this is the career you want to do or not.” Kessler said.

Many special qualities are needed for this class.

“The type of student who should take my class is one who is self-motivated, hands on, and a student who has the willingness to move ahead.” Kessler said.

There is a state certification through OCA but they’re still working through gaining credits with Stark State, with one of their subjects areas as far as building materials.

“This career tech gives me an opportunity to see if this is what I want to do in my future.” Senior Steven Kirk said.

— Carly Shaheen

Video Productions

Video production is one of the many career techs that a student can currently participate in at the high school.

¨In this class students learn various professional skills as they relate to video production¨ Josh Branch said.

Some of the things the students will learn in this class include camera skills, video editing, special effect software, photoshop, microphones, and lights. The class does this by providing a hands on environment combined with the aspect that everyone is independent.

¨My goals for the students are for them to come out of the class as professional and good communicators.¨ Branch said.

¨Opportunities outside of high school could be many different things¨ Branch said ¨These include starting your own business, or working for other business production companies with related fields.¨

Taking this class opens up a lot of possible pathways and can even be fun.

¨This is a second home to me.¨ Mila Freeman sad. ¨ I love the teacher and all the material I have learned in this class.

¨My favorite part of this class is that I will have the ability to apply what I have learned into a career that I enjoy.¨ Bryce Daniels said

— Ryan Haymaker

Nursing

Advancement to Nursing is a career tech program that many students at the high school participate in.

¨In this class students will learn how all the skills they need to become a nursing assistant.¨ Peggi Johnson said ¨My goal is to give the students a strong foundation so they can succeed in a medical degree.¨

Starting Junior year, the students take a test to become a state trained nursing aide (STNA). When a student becomes a STNA they will be able to obtain a job in the nursing field. Some student get a job during high school, while others will go to college to get a four year degree in a health care field.

¨I recommend this class to anyone who is interested in a nursing career or any other medical field.¨ Johnson said.

¨I like this class because I get to learn about the things that I am super interested in.¨ Allison Provo said. ¨I also love that we do so much hands on learning; we go to clinics to apply and test what we have learned.¨

¨I like this class because I am surrounded by people that that have the same goals and interests as me.¨ Brianna Adcock said.

— Ryan Haymaker

Photography

For the student who finds themselves admiring the photographic work of magazines, newspapers, and all other various forms of media, the Commercial Photography Career Tech is a viable option to learn the techniques used by artists to capture the perfect shot.

The class offers a very broad, encompassing approach to learning the art of photography, starting with black and white film development in a student-accessible darkroom, which later leads into digital photography and professional studio techniques, teacher Jeanne Mathis-Bertosa said.

“We also help students develop a professional portfolio,” Mathis-Bertosa said. “Ultimately, I want my students reach the goal they set for themselves. My hope is that all of my students develop a love and appreciation of all types of photography that they will take with them no matter what profession they choose.”

Some former students of the program are not unfamiliar with success; a graduate of GlenOak’s photography program spoke with last year’s class about his experiences as a traveling tour photographer for Wiz Khalifa and Fall Out Boy, while two other students have become Navy media recruits.

Commercial Photography 1 students are able to receive college credit through Kent State University through their completion of the program.

— Ellie Schiltz

Animation and Graphic Design-

Students sit in arcs, each chair accompanied with a large Apple computer with screens that display the assignments on which they’re working. These aren’t essays or worksheets, but digitally rendered drawings.

The class for Animation and Graphic Design resides at the end of the upper A wing hallway, characterized by a creative and relaxed atmosphere.

“One of the main goals of the program is to introduce students to all of the different types of software applications, graphic design, typography, the elements of art, [and] the principles of design,” teacher Paula Hinchliffe said, in an interview with GOHS Video Production.

Featured items students can use to advance their projects include a 3D printer, the entire Adobe Creative Suite, and drawing tablets they’re able to use to draw computer illustrations. Past projects have included an app creation challenge and digital self-portraits.

“My favorite thing to do in class is probably photo editing or drawing with a tablet,” junior Madison Ciccerelli said. “We mainly use Photoshop and I really love the program.”

Students in the program are able to go on field trips to see graphic design majors in the real world, as well as feature their own work in competitions and properly prepare for a potential career in the digital creative arts.

— Ellie Schiltz

Lighting and Sound

There are numerous career techs offered at this school. One career tech is Entertainment and Technology, taught by Tamara Traut. In this program, the students learn all the aspects of live show production.

The juniors learn about lighting design and DMX programming, live audio reinforcement and how to safely work on stage. The seniors learn how to operate both analog and digital soundboards, how to manage a performance facility and how to record and edit audio. There are many goals and requirements for all the students when they finish this career tech.

“The students are expected to either enter an entry level job in live show production, or go on to a two or four year degree that has to do with Entertainment Technology,” Traut said.

Numerous opportunities are given to the students throughout high school. They have the ability to work on the all-school ballet, all-school musical and May show. The Entertainment and Technology class provides all of the lighting and sound crew, as well as stagehands for these productions.

In the past, Traut has had many students pursue jobs in this field just out of high school and some while still in highschool. One of her students helped set up the stage for a Taylor Swift concert at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Another former student is currently a Broadway and television producer. Many other students have gone on to do great things as well.

“They’ve really followed their passions in incredible ways,” Traut said.

Students who have the most success and the most fun in this career tech, are ones who like hands on activities, problem solving, music, film and concerts. They also should have a love for working on shows. The high school theater holds 900 seats and there are over 100 events that take place in it each year. The Entertainment and Technology students set up and run them all.

“My students like having the opportunity to run all aspects of a show and be treated like adults. They truly do run the GlenOak High School Theater,” Traut said.

Although there is no college credit or certifications given through the class, most students who participate, enjoy it.

“I like it because it is still a class but you are treated like a semi-adult. It’s action packed and teaches you to problem solve by yourself while still working with others. And the teacher is really nice,” senior Leah Lewellyn.

Entertainment and Technology is a career tech full of projects and active assignments. There is a lot to learn in this career tech and there is a lot to take away after leaving high school as a senior.

— Kensington Thomas

[Updated Aug. 13, 2017: This article has been reformatted for consistency.]