Career Academy, ATC unveil life science wing

Science has done more good for the human race than anything else in history.

Odd to read that conservative politicians such as Kevin Little and Casey Cagle, came to promote a scientific institution. I would have thought they were creationists who would oppose the very foundation of microbiology... Darwin's theory of Evolution.

Lt. Gov. Cagle stated “The Walton Career Academy is perfectly posed to play a strategic role in developing the workforce necessary to attract more life science and biotechnology companies to Georgia . . . The partnership between Walton Career Academy and Athens Technical College will allow students the unique and exciting opportunity to graduate prepared and ready to enter the workforce in a specific field.” I hope Superintendent Hobbs and the BOE heard these words clearly. Walton Career Academy is positioned very purposely on their budget chopping block to be the first, and easiest, budget-cutting strategy. They obviously have never visited the classrooms and talked with students whose lives have changed because of WCA. It never ceases to amaze me how people talk of improving education and meeting the needs of ALL students, yet condemn new ideas and strategies and so eagerly want to destory them.

At a time when even the military can't find enough educated recruits (http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/nov/06/repo... ), institutions like the Walton Career Academy are more and more important. We need to focus on innovative schools that help potential dropouts stay in school and learn skills that can help them find jobs and contribute to the future of this country. As a graduate of Georgia public schools who has gone on to higher education and a productive career, I am worried that others are not being given that opportunity. We must be creative if we are to help the country recover from this recession, help young people get the education and the job skills that will make them productive members of the society, and work for a brighter future. Bright ideas like the Walton Career Academy deserve support -- just like the kids they are serving.

When I first found out that I would be needing to put in my request to student teach, I had no idea where I wanted to be placed. A good friend of mine told me about his experience student teaching at Walton Career Academy and encouraged me to do my student teaching there as well. So, I followed his advice and made WCA my first choice on my student teaching site request.
I now see that choosing WCA was quite possibly the best decision I could have made. My only regret is that I had never been given the same opportunities in my high school as WCA's students. They are getting an incredible opportunity to take classes and learn skills that many high-schoolers would jump at but unfortunately will never get the chance to take.
I have talked to students who say that WCA is why they are going to graduate from high school now. WCA was their saving grace in the ever growing monotony of our standardized test centric schooling system. We at WCA give students new and exciting ways to learn, and the subject material is incredible!!!
In the end, the whole reason I am writing this post is to let people know that we need more schools like WCA. Whether I go straight into teaching or not, I will be a staunch advocate of schools like WCA and I will do my best to spread the good word.

As a retired teacher of 33 years in the state of Georgia, education is my top priority. Education should be first and foremost on every mind, as our country struggles with the current economic crisis.
Our country must prepare future generations to be productive members of society.
One bright spot in the field of education is the Walton Career Academy. They are providing exciting, innovative methods for students to learn skills which prepare them for a successful future. The WCA provides a career pathway for every student. It gives students the technical training to graduate prepared and ready to successfully enter the workforce in a specific field. The Walton Career Academy is a model for other counties to follow.
Times are changing and the WCA should be allowed to continue leading the way in preparing our future workforce.