Strong community support has brought a new hands-on career exploration opportunity to Grayson County Middle School, led by a $69,500 investment from the Grayson County Healthcare Foundation.
A new Paxton/Patterson Career Lab is now open at GCMS, giving 8th graders the chance to explore careers by actually learning the skills involved and using them in real-life ways. Through a variety of modules, students work with equipment and technology connected to different career fields while discovering their own interests, strengths and aptitudes.
And that discovery is happening at just the right time. Before they ever have to choose high school courses and pathways, students are getting a much better idea of areas that interest them — and sometimes finding out that they have a real passion for or skill in an area they may have never considered.
GCMS Principal Lea Ann Frank recently shared the story of one student who had been reluctant to participate in class but found something that clicked as he worked through the lab modules. After exploring several areas, he told his teacher, “I think I could actually be a barber or I think I could actually go into the restaurant industry.”
Eighth graders can be exposed to as many as eight different career fields during the class. Current modules include healthcare, home maintenance, culinary arts, veterinary, cosmetology, design and many others, with students getting hands-on experience ranging from wiring and plumbing to following recipes, even welding via computer-aided tools and programs.
“Because of the exposure at the middle school, they’re able to get into the pathway at the high school a little faster and take more classes,” Frank said.
Student response has GCMS already looking ahead. The school hopes to add another lab for seventh graders next year, giving students two years to explore different career possibilities before entering high school.
In addition to the Grayson County Healthcare Foundation grant, Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center and United Way of Central Kentucky contributed $2,500 each to the project, expanding the opportunities available for career exploration. It’s an investment that reaches well beyond the classroom. Giving students earlier opportunities to discover their interests and begin building skills also shows current and prospective employers that career preparation starts early in Grayson County — strengthening the workforce pipeline and, ultimately, the community.
“The Grayson County Healthcare Foundation is excited to support the GCMS College & Career Ready Lab,” said Executive Director Brittany Clemons. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have in helping students prepare for their future, and we’re especially thrilled to spark early interest in healthcare careers. Investing in our students today strengthens the future of our community.”