At MHS, there are many students from various backgrounds and cultures, all with different career goals and ambitions. Thankfully, MHS has successfully acquired more than enough resources to provide students with adequate career preparation. To accommodate students’ diverse needs, the school has partnered with several programs to offer various pathways so students can utilize their high school years to prepare for whatever professions they strive to achieve.
One convenient pathway available on campus are the Academies, which are available to students in grades 10-12 and offer exclusive opportunities within required core classes, as well as specialized courses for students. The list includes the Digital Business Academy (DBA), the Engineering Academy, and the Travel and Tourism Academy. These academies work with colleges and universities to offer several opportunities and internships to students who plan to have future careers in these areas. MHS’ ability to offer such an extensive list of specialized classes on-campus is admirable, as it allows students to make the most of their time at the school in regards to their future careers.
Another advantageous pathway is the dual enrollment program, which is available to juniors and seniors and works with the San José City College and Evergreen Community College District to offer college courses to high schoolers. The program allows students to take a few classes at select college courses at the community college locations in order to accumulate college credit before graduation. Dual enrollment is a great option for students who are looking to gain college credit but are undecided about their major, as the courses offered are preselected by the program. Additionally, these courses are unavailable at MHS, so students can take the opportunity to learn about different career options or accumulate enough credits to graduate early from MHS and, later, college. This is a cost effective option that can greatly benefit students by allowing them to spend less time in college and save money.
Additionally, the list of pathways includes the worthwhile Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE) program. Open to juniors and seniors, SVCTE allows students to take half their classes at MHS and the other half as a 3-hour course at the SVCTE campus in San José. The courses offered are extensive and hands-on, with specialized options such as auto body repair, dental assisting, and film and video production. Students do less book work and instead gain firsthand experience of what the jobs would entail, exposing them to the teaching style of college professors and offering relevant experience to further their careers. This is beneficial to students who would like to either start their careers straight out of high school or begin training before college. By offering this opportunity, MHS shows how much it cares for and wants to help all students succeed, regardless of what they plan for the future.
No matter what they may aspire to achieve after graduation, students have a variety of options at MHS thanks to these pathways. Through these programs, MHS has created an accommodating campus for all its students.