Manual High School Is First Denver Public School to be Accepted into Colorado’s P-TECH Program
Denver, CO (PRWEB) January 27, 2016 -- Manual High School is the first Denver Public School to be accepted into Colorado’s P-TECH program, signed into law in 2015 and designed to create public-private partnerships to prepare thousands of Colorado students for high-skilled jobs. The P-TECH program will complement and extend The Med School at Manual program by giving students the opportunity to graduate with high school and associate degrees, as well as educational experiences such as job shadowing, internships, and mentoring relationships.
“P-TECH can essentially cut a student’s college costs in half, while preparing him or her for a range of high-demand jobs in the medical field,” said Nick Dawkins, principal of Manual High School. “P-TECH is a natural complement to The Med School at Manual program, which we initiated this school year to offer our students four distinct medical career pathways. These programs make Manual High School a must-consider option for students interested in pursuing medical-related careers.”
The Med School at Manual has career pathways in healing medicine, wellness medicine, investigative medicine, and veterinary science. The school is one of four Denver Public Schools receiving funding from a $650,000 grant awarded by Kaiser Permanente in 2015. Benefits of the program include:
1) Engaging coursework: Hands-on, project-based, industry-focused coursework in grades 9 through 12 that often allow students to earn valuable industry credentials and college credit while in high school.
2) Experiential learning outside of the classroom: Industry exploration events, mentoring and internships in grades 9 through 11.
3) Strong college and career connections:
- Advanced industry apprenticeships: A two-year program starting in grade 12 in which students spend 50% of their time “earning and learning.” Students gain valuable work experience while earning an associates degree at no tuition cost that could be transferrable to a four-year degree.
- Preferential admissions: Students are expected to receive preferential admissions into top Colorado colleges and universities. According to Dawkins, these college partnerships are currently being developed.
“It is wonderful to see education evolving to simultaneously serve the education needs of students and Colorado employers,” said Cheri Wright, associate principal and Career Connect director for Manual High School. “Med School at Manual, combined with P-TECH, gives students the advantages of hands-on experiences to learn skills such as drawing blood or testing DNA with the ability to earn an associates degree with no tuition cost. Plus, students get valuable on-the-job training with a local hospital or business that could provide future employment.”
For more information about The Med School at Manual program, click here. Those interested in enrolling are encouraged to call 720 423 6350 or email [email protected] for further details.
About Manual High School
Located in the heart of Denver’s Whittier neighborhood, Manual High School’s highly trained teachers are committed to challenging, nurturing, and supporting all students. The school’s achievement-focused culture cultivates goal setting, resiliency, and critical thinking.
Manual High School was one of the first schools in Denver to educate women and African Americans. Noteworthy graduates include Mayor Michael Hancock, Mayor Wellington Webb, and activist and poet Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales.
Today, Manual is at the forefront of career and technical education with the launch of MedConnect, one of the district’s first biomedical pathways for high school students. As one of the first schools in the district to be granted Innovation Status, Manual’s classrooms are equipped with modern tools and technology. Just as importantly, each Manual student has the use of a dedicated tablet during the school day to ensure the development of the technology skills needed for today’s workplace.
To find out more about enrolling at Manual High School, visit http://www.manualhs.org or http://schoolchoice.dpsk12.org/.
Linda Galloway, insidHR Communications, +1 303 863 8620, [email protected]
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