Newberry early childhood program provides training for potential teachers
By Jackie Johnson
Special To The Herald

Photo By Jackie Johnson Newberry High freshman Kayla Olsen conducts a hearing screening on first grader Ty Bright. Students who complete the school's Early Childhood Education program will graduate with a certification that allows them to head straight to the workplace.

NEWBERRY - Newberry High School freshman Dalton Gibson wants to be a teacher. Classmate Laken Patterson is considering a career in healthcare. Sophomore Ariel Karelas is already working part-time at a local day care center.

All three are among the first group of students to enroll in Newberry High School’s Academy of Early Childhood Education (ECE), and all believe the new magnet program will help them achieve their career goals — whatever those goals turn out to be.

"I don’t know what I want to pursue in college, but I am interested in kids and how they develop," Karelas said. "I thought this would be a good way to try out the field and see if I liked it."

Gibson agreed.

"It’s very cool," Gibson said. "I want to be an elementary teacher, and I’m learning a lot."

Two years ago, Alachua County Public Schools won a grant from the state to develop the ECE academy program to meet the growing demand for people qualified to work in the child care industry. That demand is being fed in large part by Florida’s voluntary pre-kindergarten program (VPK), which is open to all 4-year-olds in the state.

By 2012, the state’s goal is to have VPK provider programs staffed by certified employees.

Students who successfully complete the Newberry High academy program will graduate with both a high school diploma and the Child Development Associate Equivalency certification, which means they’ll be well-qualified to head straight to the workplace.

Thanks to a partnership between the academy and Santa Fe Community College, the students can also earn up to 15 credits toward an associate degree if they choose to continue their education.

Kim McConnell, who coordinates Newberry’s ECE academy, said it provides students with a great deal of flexibility. She said she has students interested in going into pediatrics, family counseling and other fields related to children.

"The sky is the limit," McConnell said. "If their chosen career has anything to with children, they’ll benefit from this program because they’re gaining first-hand knowledge and the experience of working with children."

Any student in Alachua County Public Schools can apply to the Newberry High School Academy of Early Childhood Education, and those accepted will receive transportation. For more information, call the school at 352-472-1101.