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"Confident and career-ready" is how Claysburg-Kimmel superintendent Brian Helsel wants high school students to feel after experiencing their Mentoring for Success Program.
In preparation for the 2025-26 school year, the program will expand on its business sector, adding a health care field by providing mentorships with health care professionals.
"We have nurses who are willing to come meet students who are interested in the nursing field, and we can piece these people together," said Brannan Raptosh, assistant to the superintendent.
Running from October to March, the program connects 11th and 12th graders with professionals across different job markets.
The program offers 20 to 25 students informational sessions with mentors involving presentations, networking and a Q&A segment.
Round-table discussions, one-on-one mentor visits and trips to local businesses such as NPC Inc. and New Pig are other program amenities.
The 2024-25 school year was the first season for the Mentoring for Success Program, which was created by Richard Allison, founding member of the Claysburg Education Foundation.
"It worked out well for the first year, and we are expanding it into something better," he said.
Allison was inspired to create this program because of his own personal relationship with his mentor. He said it's "great" to ask mentors questions to gain perspective of their job.
"It's about giving students the opportunity to interface with businesspeople who have experienced successes and also failures and rebounded from them," he said.
According to recent graduate Kasey Mosser, the program provided him with "local business exposure, key contacts and local expertise."
Now, Mosser is enrolled in a post-secondary school for the upcoming school year.
The program also prepares students who plan on attending trade school or entering the workforce by inviting HVAC and welding professionals.
"We are trying to expand to give kids options," Allison said.
Raptosh said that various mentors provide "exposure to all systems within an interest area."
Although Claysburg-Kimmel is located in a rural area, Allison said that should not stop students from developing business connections.
"We want them to see outside the box we live in," Allison said. "We want kids to have the opportunities to know what's out there" in central Pennsylvania and beyond.
By connecting students and local professionals, Raptosh believes that students can gain an insight on "what they can do in the future."
"It's been very rewarding to get these kids matched up with local business leaders," Raptosh said.
Mosser said that he is "forever grateful" for the connections he made in the program and "the guidance and exposure to local business leaders in our region."
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414