THere are
3,968 lIcensed dIeTITIans
In THe sTaTe of Texas.
senior Experiences in the Elgin program, reports that “it’s often Working with Children
Many students are interested in careers hard to get students to work with older Another option in Human Services is an
Groove
in geriatric care and counseling. With the adults, but once they get there, they often early childhood education program like
population of Texans over age 60 expected like it.” Some of Carter’s students have even that at Karen Wagner High School in San
to rise from 3.3 million in 2007 to 4.3 gone on to work full-time after high school Antonio (see “Rewarding Service” below).
million in 2014—that’s 1 million more at the facilities where they trained. “Besides the field of medicine,” says
people in only seven years—the field is Yolanda Chapa, a teacher in the early
projected to grow. Looking good childhood education program, “I can’t think
Geriatric services seek to enhance the If owning a hair, skin, or nail salon is your of another field like education that gives
quality of life for older adults through a dream, consider classes in cosmetology. professionals the opportunity to make such
number of avenues, including social work, “There are so many career opportunities a difference in someone’s life.”
long-term care activities, services for available in the field,” Buster says of her
active elders, legal advocacy, and more. An program in Denton.
important preparation for these careers can “There’s work in a salon, educator, sales
be working with the elderly while still in representative for a beauty supply company,
high school. work on a cruise ship in a salon, platform/
At Elgin High School, students pursuing runway artist, chemical technician,
Human Services get experience in work- beauty editor for a magazine, television
based training rotations at local long-term productions, state inspector, makeup artist,
care facilities. Pat Carter, a teacher involved and many other exciting opportunities.”
S P o T L I G H T
REWARDING SERvICE
Training Early Childhood Professionals
A
person pursues a career in early childhood The program is an unpaid internship program at wagner can earn up to seven college credit hours
education to make a difference in a child’s for high school juniors and seniors who want to while they are still in high school.
life, and nothing could be more rewarding,” says explore careers working with children. graduates of The most important part of the program,
Yolanda chapa, a teacher at karen wagner High the program may take positions in teaching, social however, is the hands-on experience. students
school in san antonio. work, pediatrics, and other occupations that serve entering the program as juniors receive two full
students in chapa’s early childhood professions the needs of the young. years of experience in working classrooms. This
program receive instruction in teaching. “students “students enrolled in this program receive two enables them to not only decide whether they really
now also have the opportunity to do rotation years of field experience,” says chapa. “This allows want to teach children, but narrow down their
internships at the wagner early childhood center, students to decide which age group they prefer or if preferences to particular age groups.
where they work with children ages 3 to 5 years this field is really what they want to pursue.” chapa herself relishes her work with high school
old,” says chapa, also director of the center. “early early childhood professions is an articulated students and young children.
childhood professions students help elementary Tech prep course, which means that, in addition to “nothing is more rewarding than hearing
school teachers with all classroom procedures. directly preparing students for a career, the courses from some of my ex-students and learning that
The program could be called ‘growing our own offer students the opportunity to earn college credit. something I said or did was an influential part of
future teachers.’” students taking early childhood professions courses their success,” she says.
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