Amanda Jerome, the college and career readiness coordinator for the district, said the Empower U program was created to provide students early access to college credit and to encourage career exploration at a young age.
"We have tried to structure our academies so students with particular interests can explore what interests them," she said. "Many students mix and match programs and that works out nicely. ... They are able to maximize on discounted, and sometimes free college credit and get a jumpstart on career planning at the same time."
Empower U is constructed of several options within the program: advanced placement, engineering academy, dual credit, life science academy, technical courses, early college academy, agriculture academy and code pathway.
"DCPS has offered Empower U academies specifically for about five years, before that our dual credit program was called Community Campus," Jerome said. "In the past five years, our program has experienced tremendous growth and success. We currently boast a 98.1 percent pass rating across our 1,200 students."
Jerome said the students have enjoyed the rigorous, hands-on nature of the classes and the real-world application to real jobs.
"All of our programs are designed to help a student explore a career field and to see exactly what the possibilities are in that field," she said. "I love seeing the 'fire' lit in students because they have figured out what they want to do with the rest of their lives."
Charles Schneider, senior at Apollo High School, is in the early college and engineering academies.
"Before I was in the engineering academy, I really had no interest in engineering," he said. "My dad recommended it because he was a mechanical engineer so I just said I was going to go for it."
Schneider said after taking a couple of courses in the academy, he found he loved it.
"Now I am going to go to Rose-Hulman, one of the best engineering schools in the nation," he said. "It's awesome that the engineering academy opened my eyes to it."
Daviess County High School senior Zakkary Moseley is also in the engineering academy, and much like Schneider, he did not have an interest in engineering before signing up.
"I went to one of the meetings for it and they promised me we'd do a lot of cool stuff," he said. "I decided to give it a shot and now I'm going to the University of Kentucky this year for electrical engineering."
Schneider and Moseley said they have been able to participate in some interesting projects such as building catapults and participate in hands-on activities.
"I've programmed my own video game and have been able to work a lot on electronic stuff," he said. "It's really cool stuff that we've had the opportunity to do."
Ava Gentile, a junior at DCHS, said she already had an interest in engineering in part due to her father being an engineer.
"I knew this is basically what I wanted to do but I feel like I already have a step ahead in my classes that I'm going to be taking in college and I feel like I've been able to touch in more areas that I didn't know about before," she said.
Gentile's favorite part about the engineering academy has been advancing more in math.
"I like building stuff, but I've learned a lot of math," she said.
DCHS senior Alexis Jackson is in the life science and early college academies, and also knew she had an interest in science before joining the academy.
"I have always been interested in science since I was in elementary school," she said. "My parents heard about this through Amanda and told me I was going to join, and I didn't have any problem with that."
Jackson said in this year's life science academy, students are participating in a whole pig dissection.
"We've done a sheep's heart," she said. "I really like the dissections."
Emily Bertke, a junior at AHS, is in the school's early college and engineering academies.
"I had heard a lot of good things about [the engineering academy] from my family members that had previously gone through [it]," she said. "I knew engineering was something I was interested in pursuing so it seemed like the perfect set up that would allow me to try all different types of engineering and get a feel for what I like best."
As for the early college academy, Bertke had heard about it from her cousin.
"I was mainly interested in the Early College Academy because it would set me up well when I go to college because I will be graduating with not only a high school diploma, but an associates degree in science as well," she said.
Bertke said she had transferred schools specifically for AHS' Engineering Academy.
"I knew it would be better to set me up for college and help me learn more about engineering than my other school ever could," she said. "Even if you're not looking into some type of engineering as your future career, the Engineering Academy can still be beneficial."
Kelly Spaw, college and career readiness coach at AHS, said students begin as early as eighth grade to decide which program might be a good fit for them.
"To see them go all through high school and see them come away with these experiences, it's really a blessing," she said.
DCPS runs several bus routes each day to transport students to and from the programs, and work with students to utilize their KY Dual Credit scholarship funds to take advantage of some free classes.
"We have a strong partnership with [Owensboro Community and Technical College] and appreciate their support in our dual credit program," Jerome said. "I also appreciate the support of our superintendent, Matt Robbins, and our board of education in DCPS. Without their support, none of these opportunities would be possible."
Due to inclement weather, the Empower U Showcase has been rescheduled for Feb. 7 at AHS and Feb. 9 at DCHS. Both events will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the schools. To register for the event, visit docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsvDJnu98UZQucf1VvPsdVcNWkZ2H8mdt54zVC3NYahR3m_Q/viewform.
Applications for the 2023-24 Empower U program open today. For more information, contact Jerome at amanda.jerome@daviess.kyschools.us.
©2023 the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
