A total of 23 Warren Easton Charter High School seniors recently received the Residential Electrician Certificate of Technical Studies (CTS) from Delgado Community College in New Orleans a week before they graduated from high school. This group is the second cohort of Dual Enrollment students from this high school to complete the program at Delgado. Of the graduates, 16 were inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the national academic honor society for two-year institutions that requires a minimum cumulative 3.4 grade-point average.
The “W-E 23,” the name given to the cohort, finished their program under the instruction of Leslie Falkins, an electrical instructor on the Jefferson Campus. Falkins reiterated the impressive accomplishment of the students noting their ability to “balance their high school academics and extra curricula activities, as well as their college curricula, work and families.”
In addition to their hard work in the classroom, the students also attribute their success to the support they’ve received out of the classroom. Everett Jones, Dual Enrollment (DE) coordinator, has been with the program at Delgado for six years and plays a huge role in the students’ success said Arnel Cosey, vice chancellor of student affairs: “Everett feels responsible for his students from the moment they enroll in the first class. It’s important to him for all of them to meet whatever their personal goals are while taking classes through Dual Enrollment. I’m always amazed at how much he knows about them as individuals.”
Cosey noted there is also a tremendous amount of support given to these students from their high school counselor, Patrice Strickland. “Ms. Strickland is an outstanding professional who spends time and talks with her students on an individual basis,” Cosey said. “Her doing so, results in an accurate assessment of their goals and leads to proper referrals for dual enrolment placement. She and Everett have a genuine concern for their students’ success and work together as the proverbial village. Together, they’ve supported over 30 students in the completion of their program at Delgado Community College.”
Some of the W-E 23 plan to return to Delgado to complete the next two levels of the electrical program before entering the workforce. Others plan to enter the workforce or have chosen to further their education in a related field at a four-year institution. Jones believes these are all great options for graduating students and one of the advantages of DE. When asked how this success can be replicated for other area high schools and their students, he emphasized planning and communication as top priorities. Jones said, based on the projected job openings and the income associated with those jobs, also known as high-wage, high-demand occupations, more students should consider career and technical education programs as viable career options.
For more information about Delgado’s Dual Enrollment program, visit the website.
