Community involvement needed for options and opportunities program

The options and opportunities class at the Liverpool Regional High School wrapped up the program on June 11 and teacher Stacy Smith is looking for volunteers and students for next September. “The program is directed towards kids who are disengaged from school,” said options and opportunities teacher, Stacy Smith. “We provide them with an opportunity to find things outside of school that will work for them.”

The program started a year and a half ago, with this year their first full year.

Right now there are 16 students in the program. “Next year we’re hoping for 12 more,” she said.

The program prepares students “for community college or university or to work in the workforce after they graduate,” stated Smith. “We have a close partnership with Nova Scotia Community College.”

If students in the options and opportunities program complete all requirements of the course plus their 18 high school credits, they get a preferred seat at NSCC, she said. “Another part of the program is they get a co-op opportunity for 100 hours,” Smith continued.

The “O2 celebration night,” on June 11 wrapped up the year with parents coming back and seeing what their child has done, she explained.

Marking this year as “great,” Smith said students were very active in both school and outside of school.

Students volunteered, job shadowed and fundraised.

Smith noted the program “won’t survive unless the community is involved.”

They need community hosts willing to take students to help them gain needed skills.

For more information call Stacy Smith at 354-7600.