Have you ever wondered why there is a preschool located inside a high school? The students that take Practicum of Education and Training use that, as well as elementary schools around the district, as their classroom.

Junior Mary Johnson was looking for a unique elective to take when she stumbled upon this Career Education class.

“My best friend and I were looking for an interesting class to take and decided on this class,” Johnson said. “We both thought it would be fun to work with kids.”

Senior Tanner Ryan, a second year participant in the class, likes the course for the opportunities it provides.

“My favorite part of the class is going off campus and getting out of the classroom,” Ryan said. “It is more interesting to have real experiences in actual classrooms instead of reading it in a textbook.”

Senior Mattie Keeter, also in her second year with the class, appreciates the class for a variety of reasons.

“I like the class because you get to build relationships with peers in the class and bonding over the common interest of wanting to become a teacher,” Keeter said. “In addition to that, seeing kids learning basic things and watching the lightbulb go off in their head is really cool.”

For Johnson, her favorite part is not only the relationships with other students in the class, but also with the kids.

“A cool part about the class is bonding with the kids,” Johnson said. “It is rewarding in a way that I did not expect to have those kids look up to me.”

If you are thinking about becoming a teacher, taking this elective will only help guide that decision.

“I love working with kids, and I have always wanted to be a teacher,” Keeter said. “The class moves me closer to that.”