Students Participate in Education for Employment

Education for Employment students help get ready for Easter. EFE student are taught to be ready for life after high school. Photo and story by Aaron Raines

Senior year is a time for looking back at memories as well as looking forward to the future. With the help of teachers and programs such as Education for Employment (EFE) students are prepared for the world despite any odds against them.

Senior Timothy Johnson is a member of the EFE program and has been in the program for two years. EFE teaches students skills that can be used outside of high school to find employment. Johnson is currently employed at the Commissary on Fort Lee. Johnson completes tasks such as stocking shipment and bagging groceries.  Johnson is picked up every day from school by a school bus and taken to work, by 2 o’clock they are returned to school.

Johnson also works around the school. He runs errands in attendance as well as collects attendance cards. Johnson and his class also do charity work. This past Christmas they made angels and other decorations for the VFW Christmas party, and on Valentine’s Day they made valentines for injured soldiers in McGuire hospital.

Brenda Lockhart-Clary is Johnson’s teacher most of the day and also one of his favorite teachers. Clary teaches a class based on vocational training and Life skills. Johnson along with other students works daily on job training and communication skills.

“The students keep us on our toes, we constantly have to improve our program to better meet the needs of our students,” Clary said.

Clary teaches senior Delvonte Palmer who is another student in the EFE program.  Palmer is also classified as a non-traditional student. A non-traditional student returns to high school until age 21. This allows students to receive more job training to become employed.

Palmer is currently employed at Beasley Elementary School. He works in the Library during most of the school day, returning at 2 o’clock each afternoon. Palmer completes tasks such as putting books away, cleaning, and checking out books in and out.

Palmer enjoys reading during his free time at the library. When he is not working or reading Palmer is your typical high school student. He enjoys hanging out with friends, playing video games, and listening to music.

“I like books about sharks, cars, and motorcycles,” Palmer said.

Both Palmer and Johnson are prepared for the outside world thanks to their own hard work as well as the dedication of those around them. In addition to being active in the job market both students also participate in school clubs. In fact all of their classmates are members of the Jr. Civitan club this year. The Jr. Civitan club sponsors activities to help the community. The entire class acts as a co-officer, working along with the clubs official officers.

Participating in clubs helps the students with their communication skills. EFE and the non-traditional student programs allows the students to receive job training and assists them in finding employment. The main goal of all of their program leaders in to create independent young men and women.

“I just want them to do whatever they want to do to the best of their ability,” Clary said.

Clary hopes that her students can become self- sufficient with the aid of current programs. According to Clary as well as other aids the students are consistently growing challenging the programs to improve as well as those teaching them.