Today's Letters: Nature Coast succeeding as is
Letters to the EditorPublished November 1, 2007
Nature Coast succeeding as is
Nature Coast Technical High School was built to be a technical school We are a technical school. Why are we being criticized for succeeding? Don't you want smarter, more productive young people?
We have several courses that teach us a great deal of knowledge, and include industrial technology, cosmetology, culinary, manufacturing/engineering, construction, automotive, health management and law.
I heard Nature Coast has one of the best test scores in the state of Florida. If we are doing that well, why should we stop our athletics and other after-school activities?
Yes, we need construction workers, but the market is so down right now that the money we would be making in construction would be minimal. Like I said, we have a construction class for students who want to pursue construction. But for others who would rather start their career in a different field, they shouldn't be stuck in a program they don't like.
Cameron Pareizs, Spring Hill
Still a high school, including sports
I recently read a letter in the paper that bashed Nature Coast Technical High School. I found this article offensive.
The article stated the school should be a place to learn only the basics like reading, writing, and math, as well as learning our vocation. This school does all of that. We cannot help that we excel. We meet everyone's expectations; we just stepped it up a bit.
Even though this school is designed to get kids ready for the work force right after high school, the kids will still lose jobs to college graduates. As far as sports go, we are still a high school. For a lot of kids, this is their only chance to play sports. They should get just as much of an opportunity as every other high school.
Nature Coast offers more than any school. We have a wonderful vocation program and the best sports program in the county. Why would anyone want to take that away?
Douglas Davis, Spring Hill
Students choose their vocation
The School Board says that students need skills. We are not given the skills; we are born with the skills. The clusters at Nature Coast Technical High School help us bring out our skills. We are able to choose what we love and be able to learn more about our talents and what we could do with our talents.
The school doesn't choose what we do, we choose it for ourselves. The choices we make affect not only us, but also the community. Students who decide to work in the automotive cluster provide a night of fun and learning. They provide a car show, and the car show doesn't only show nice, old-fashioned cars for everyone, but also allows the community to see the talents those students obtained in that cluster.
Many of the students enjoy being able to choose something for themselves. Being given the choice to plan out our lives before we actually do it, Nature Coast gives us that chance.
People assume Nature Coast is only teaching us about ways to help the government build new areas. Well, those people are wrong. Nature Coast doesn't teach us to do what the government wants. It prepares us to do what we wish to do and how to do it. The clusters at Nature Coast Technical High School show everyone there is a variety of choices to choose from. Other high schools don't have that same variety.
When we were little kids, our parents told us that we could be whatever we wanted to be. Many of us thought that we wanted to be a doctor or an astronaut. When we get older, our parents want the best education out there. So, they decided to send us to Nature Coast so we can get the education we need to accomplish our childhood dreams.
Lauren Stone, Spring Hill
School gives back to community
I am a proud student at Nature Coast Tech High School. I am in my last year here, and I can't even begin to tell you how much this school has impacted my life. To hear that they might take this experience away from other students is ridiculous.
Doesn't anybody in this community see what good we have done? With our wide variety of clusters, information technology, graphic arts, culinary arts, automotive, engineering, construction, performing arts and health and human services, we have many intelligent students here.
We have done numerous things to give back to our community in many different ways. For example, I am enrolled in the cosmetology cluster. Every week we have more than 20 new customers coming to our salon. With the experience I have from being involved in cosmetology, I also have a part-time job at a salon in our community.
We are students who want to come to school and learn more each day. Every administrator and teacher in this school couldn't be any more caring. They have all prepared us for what the "real" life is like.
The word "tech," to most people, is very intimidating. Immediately they assume that Nature Coast Technical High School is for kids who do not attend college. If anything, this school has pushed us to further our education in college. Being a part of this school, I feel proud and more educated each day. At NCTHS, it is a clean, happy environment where we are pushed each day to be a better person.
The majority of students who attend Nature Coast are involved in sports. Sports is something we don't want to lose. Why would we want to take away the talented students from what they like to do?
If anything, having sports keeps these teens out of trouble. It also gives them a goal to reach because you have to keep your grades up. Going to a Friday night football game, for instance, is like being with family. Everyone gets along with everyone, and the ambience is great.
I hope you can see how much this school has helped our community, and maybe you will have a different view on it.
Brittany Sessa, Spring Hill
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