West Shore ESD Career Tech meeting the needs of MAPS students

MANISTEE — After shutting down the district's allied health, wood shop and automotive classes in the past few years some people have the misconception that Manistee Area Public Schools students are not getting access to vocational education classes.

The truth of the matter is the district is actually expanding the students opportunities through a partnership with the West Shore Educational Service District (ESD) Career Tech programs held at West Shore Community College. Career tech center principal Ethan Hurley said the association has been a benefit to both sides.

"We are excited to have MAPS be a part of our programs," said Hurley. "The career tech center currently serves 14 different school districts, and Manistee is the third largest school district in providing students behind Ludington and Mason County Central."

Hurley said they offer a wide variety of vocational education programs. He pointed out that even though students in the West Shore ESD district  attend classes for free under a countywide millage and MAPS students pay tuition, they aren't treated any differently.

"I think it is important for parents, community members and board of education members to know we don't think of it as an us and them," he said. "When it comes to enrollments, classes and the students it is really just a kid is a kid. We line these kids up as one group so when we have issues like this year where we were overfull, we do it as a group, and not by where the students come from."

MAPS students get an opportunity to check out the tech center well in advance of the time they first sign up for classes.

"Another thing that we do to help students make decisions is your students come down in the eighth grade for a field trip and get to see all of our programs," said Hurley. "It is kind of like speed dating as they spend six minutes visiting each program and then when they come back in 10th grade then can spend 20 minutes in three of four programs that they are really interested in taking classes."

Hurley said that gives them the opportunity to decide if that program is something they would be interested in taking the following year as a junior.

"Most of our programs are just one-year programs," said Hurley. "There are some that allow second year students under different situations. A lot of students may come for graphic arts one year and something else the next year."

The career tech principal said the partnership is working out well and there is a big growth in the number of students coming down for the programs.

"We were really excited this year to do the allied health program and MAPS has 10 students who are going through the certified nursing assistant program," he siad. "They will hopefully take the test in June and get their national board tests passed."

Manistee High School junior Rudy Linke attends the welding program at West Shore ESD.

"I really like the course as it is one that is really hands on and it helps me learn faster," he said. " Next year I plan to go back and take either automotive or construction, as those are things I can use later on in life."

Fellow MAPS student Sophie Shriver is taking part in the graphic communications program.

"We literally do communications through graphics, and we work with InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to do all kinds of programs,"  she said. "I personally love it, and it's been a great experience. Both of my teachers are more than I ever expected, and I get lots of help."

Shriver said she has to take her four core courses of math, science, English and government in the morning. She then boards a bus at 11:55 a.m. and rides a bus to West Shore Community College where she remains until 2:30 p.m.

"I am planning on doing a second year in graphic communications because there is more real work availability for those skills," she said.

Manistee High School principal Julia Raddatz said the students ride a Wi-Fi equipped bus that allows them to study on the trip. She also praised the efforts of the ESD for bending over backwards to help the MAPS students.

"I really have to hand it to Ethan and the ESD for listening to the needs of our students," said Raddatz. "They really work hard to make it happen and accommodate our students."