Kirkwood introduces programs to high schoolers

WILLIAMSBURG — Kirkwood Community College of Cedar Rapids welcomed high school students to its Williamsburg center last week to introduce them to the college’s programs.

Marci Mohr, center coordinator, said the informational event let students meet instructors, obtain information about admissions, concurrent enrollment and high school completion.

Through concurrent enrollment at Kirkwood, students still in high school can earn college credits — and sometimes high school credits.

The campus offers a criminal justice academy, composition I and II and, new this year, a business academy.

“Usually our comp classes are maxed out,” said Mohr. The college fills two classes with up to 25 students in each.

Usually 15-20 students take the criminal justice program each years, said Mohr. Students take introduction to criminal justice the first semester and sociology the second semester.

The business program is looking at 12-15 students for it’s first year, said Mohr. Students will take introduction to business and introduction to entrepreneurship in the course.

High school students also use the Williamsburg center to take online classes at Kirkwood. Mohr said 120 or more students use the Williamsburg center every day to complete classwork online.

  Buy Photo

“We have a lot of kids in and out of the building all day,” said Mohr.

Workplace Learning

Workplace Learning Connection is an opportunity for students to do job shadowing and take part in internships.

Laura Minor, workplace learning coordinator for Kirkwood, said the college has offered Workplace Learning for 10 years throughout the seven counties the college serves, the same seven counties served by Grant Wood Area Education Agency.

  Buy Photo

More than 4,000 students took part in the program last year throughout the region, said Minor.

Workplace learning also sets up speaker events and career fairs and provides other resources that help high school students make post-secondary choices, Minor said.

Minor works primarily with Benton County, she said. Tonya Caron works with Iowa County.

Locally, Workplace Learning partners with businesses such as Kinze Manufacturing and Compass Memorial Healthcare in Iowa County and Virginia Gay Hospital and Frontier Co-op in Benton County, Minor said.

“In Williamsburg, they do a great job promoting job shadowing and internship with their students,” said Minor. Williamsburg Community School District provided more than 100 students participants last year, “which is impressive for a school this size,” said Minor.

Job shadowing takes place in a single day. “Internship, in our world, is 40 hours on-site learning,” said Minor.

Students learn skills in a safe setting with a mentor and earn credit for it, she said.

Last year nearly 40% of interns in the program were offered part-time or volunteer opportunities after the internship ended.

“So employers are liking what they see,” said Minor.

Because Kirkwood serves seven counties, Workplace Learning has a large area in which to place students.

“We can direct students to opportunities that are outside Williamsburg or Iowa County,” said Minor.

If a student wants to pursue a career that has job shadowing opportunities in Williamsburg, that’s great, Minor said. But if a student is pursuing a career that has no such business in Williamsburg, Kirkwood can hook the student up with a business in another county.

Career Z

Last year, Kirkwood was selected as a semifinalist in the U.S. Department of Education’s Career Z challenge, which rewards schools for their work-based learning ecosystems that include schools, businesses and the local Area Education Agencies.

More than 2,500 ecosystems representing 35 states submitted entries, according to Kirkwood’s website.

Semifinalists will receive technical assistance to support the refinement and implementation of their proposed ecosystem plans. They also have access to learning workshops, peer collaboration opportunities and other resources.

Workplace Learning will receive $10,000 to support its ecosystem, Kirkwood says.

At the end of Phase 2, up to 10 finalists will be selected to participate in Phase 3 of the Gen Z Challenge, which provides $150,000 in prize money, said the Kirkwood’s September 2023 newsletter.

High school completion

The Williamsburg Center also offers high school completion tests, formerly called general educational development tests.

Lisa Montz teaches high school completion at the Williamsburg center.

Students working toward high school completion are generally 16 or older, said Montz. At the Williamsburg center, Montz sees four or five students in the program at any one time.

“When life gets in the way, this is a good option,” said Montz.

High School Completion students include English language learners, she said.

In Iowa, people can’t simply take tests online. They must go through a community college program, said Montz.

At the main Kirkwood campus in Cedar Rapids, students take classes, said Montz. In Williamsburg, students take entry tests and Montz helps the students find the best route for them.

Most people complete the HiSET program, said Montz. But the Kirkwood diploma program can be right for people who are only a few credits short.

In the diploma program, students complete a series of classes one at a time with Montz at the Williamsburg center. Students will study one or two chapters in a textbook, complete a workbook and activities and take a chapter test.

The HiSet program begins with the Essential Education online program. Work can be done online from home or online at the Kirkwood Center.

The program requires a minimum of 40-70 hours of online learning. Tutoring is available.

After passing practice tests, students take the official HiSET tests at the main campus, the Johnson County Center in Coralville or at the Benton County Center in Vinton.

The program is free, but final HiSet exams cost $15 for each of HiSETs five tests: reading/language arts, writing/essay, science, math and social studies.

Resources available to help students who need financial assistance, said Montz.

Call or email to set up a meeting with Montz at 319-668-2461 or lisa.nimmer@kirkwood.edu.