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A life-altering school

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By JOE CLARK

Special To The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 24, 2009

When Dr. Anthony Colucci visits Hillsborough County schools, scouting for applicants for the Bowers-Whitley Career Center, he often spots the same kind of student.

The kid has his head down in class. Asked what he wants to do with his education and his life, the answer is an uninspired "I don't know."

Colucci, Bowers-Whitley's principal, loves to meet teenagers like this. Bring us your unmotivated, unfocused kids, he tells parents and teachers from other schools, and we will work to turn them around.

Students who transfer to Bowers-Whitley and stay through the first year usually stay and finish. The graduation rate for those kids is over 90 percent - quite an achievement when you consider that most would never have finished if they had stayed where they were.

Without opening the can of worms on how graduation rates are measured, the latest data from a Gates Foundation-funded Education Week study puts Florida fifth from the bottom. While Hillsborough County and other notable exceptions significantly exceeded the state averages, the point is that Florida needs to do better in helping kids finish high school with real choices for their future.

As one of four high school/career centers in Hillsborough County, Bowers-Whitley works hard to change that. Take kids who are not destined for an academic track, give them vocational training that fits their interests, and teach them how to work. This fits the needs for many teenagers, because for them, college simply isn't the best answer.

Also, consider that the correlation between college and a surefire job isn't what it used to be. Nationally, only about 20 percent of those who earned a college diploma this year found a job right away, compared with 51 percent in 2007, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

In this tough economy, it's clearer than ever that for many teenagers, vocational education is the smart move. It can lead to jobs in fields where there's still demand, such as nursing, air-conditioning repair or law enforcement.

And for many parents and teenagers, it would be smart to consider Bowers-Whitley.

The staff is aggressive and enthusiastic. Kids build camaraderie by wearing uniform shirts that identify their career field. Auto repair students wear red, for example, while building construction students wear yellow. And the school gets kids to focus on their potential - not their problems. "You tend to be what others think you are," Colucci tells students, describing how if they improve their self-esteem, their lives can change for the better.

Right now, the center is recruiting for the coming school year. Any Hillsborough high school student can apply. The staff works to reach even the most apathetic kids. For instance, if a boy loves video games, the staff describes how Bowers-Whitley could lead to a career as a video-game designer.

As school administrators ponder how to improve Florida's high school graduation rates, they should do more to mold offerings to individual needs. Bowers-Whitley is an example of how graduation rates can be improved by avoiding a "one size fits all" mentality.

For more information, parents or anyone interested in offering support should call the school at 813-558-1750 or call the Hillsborough Education Foundation, which sponsors Project Success, which helps teenagers with such necessities as certifications and specialized training. Hillsborough's career centers deserve our support.

Joe Clark is president of the Eckerd Family Foundation, which works to transform the lives of vulnerable youth and their families. Bowers-Whitley is one grantee receiving support to help kids stay in school and pursue post-graduation opportunities.

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