“A proud hug for Pride High: Pride High graduate turns focus to her future”

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A proud hug for Pride High: Pride High graduate turns focus to her future Posted: 10 Jul 2010 06:14 PM PDT Securing, and just as importantly, keeping a job isnt always easy, but they are among important life skills taught at Pride High, the alternative high school in Huron. Because the sad reality of it is, unless youre born wealthy or win the lottery youre going to have to find something to do that people will pay you for in order to support you, co-instructor Wayne Fenner said. After earning her diploma Friday, Shelby Griffith will now be in a much better position to find a job she likes and that pays well. Without a high school education, young people are destined for a much bleaker outlook in life. Fenner mused that perhaps it seems a bit grim that graduates realize that they will spend the rest of their lives working. But if you find a job you like, that youre good at, and you feel appreciated for it, and youre well paid, you really dont work, the veteran educator said. Co-instructor Jonna Reid, who comes from a family of teachers, said she hoped that at some point on Friday the significance of what Griffith has accomplished would sink in. Students dont get a diploma, Reid said she realized herself early in life, they earn it. In the last 19 years, more than 160 young men and women have earned their degrees at Pride High. It wasnt easy, and many dropped out or were terminated along the way, but came back. Morning after morning, they got out of bed and came to school. They managed to balance class time with jobs and babies. They persevered. And, at graduation after graduation, they tearfully turned to moms and dads, brothers and sisters, grandmas and grandpas and thanked them for their unswerving support. Its that important. Pride High operates much like a job. Students must show up on time, stay on task while in class and advance to the next course only after they have received at least a C grade on the current one. Fittingly, as Fenner was describing how Pride High works, the time clock steadily clicked off the minutes in the background. Nearly all Pride High students also work at jobs while pursuing their diplomas. The school offers courses on employability skills and work-based training. Often, Fenner and Reid and the state Department of Labor, have helped students find jobs. Theres a lot of basic things that were not all born knowing about how to get a job, Fenner said. Many can land a job, but cant keep it, and will drift from one to the next. Its important to learn people skills to get along with others, have patience, be friendly and see beyond someones bad mood, he said. Money skills are crucial as well to be honest and dependable, to be trustworthy with the employers money and products. A sobering statistic for Fenner is the fact that billions of dollars are lost by U.S. retailers each year by employee theft. That was a staggering discovery on my part, he said. I had no idea that that was a problem among retailers. New hires are expected to be flexible and acquire more skills on the job. If you can only do what youre hired to do youre not promotable, Fenner said. In fact, youre probably dispensable. He also said theres a wrong way and a right way to quit a job. Face to face is best, in a friendly, explanatory manner. Leaving is one thing, but doing so in a way that will certainly not lead to a future reference for the next job opportunity is another. You cant burn a lot of bridges in your life, Fenner said. Youve got to have some of those bridges left over. Pride High graduations are attended by the graduates and their families, but also by students still working toward their diplomas. In many ways, the message each time is directed toward them as words of encouragement and hope that the big day will arrive with their continued hard work. Griffith found that out shortly after noon on Friday. Earning her diploma was a struggle, as most worthwhile things are in life. But its worth it, she said. For the complete article see the 07-10-2010 issue. Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 07-10-2010 paper. Five Filters featured article: Headshot - Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

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