This school year, a new aspect of advisory has been added to the Salida High School’s curriculum. The new pathways system has been added to students’ advisory plans for the 2024 school year and beyond. 

There are seven pathways that students can choose to follow. They have mostly overlapping core classes, but each pathway has a list of specific classes from the Salida High School and Colorado Mountain College that would be useful in that career pathway. The seven pathways–health sciences; outdoor recreation; business entrepreneurship; human services, social services and education; communication arts and digital media; science, technology, engineering and math; and skilled trades and applied technology, all have different focuses based on what students are interested in right now and for future schooling and careers. There are presentations once a month throughout the school year, each focused on a different career pathway with experts in the field to tell students about their experiences and share advice. The curriculum is meant to help give students a guide as they choose classes, and provide a meaningful reason as to why they are taking certain classes. 

“As a high school student, if you don’t have any purpose, or any goal of what you want to do after high school, you’re experience in high school is not going to be nearly as enjoyable and meaningful as if you can find passion or inspiration now,” says Josh Bechtel, a teacher at the Salida High School. Bechtel acts as one of the communication links between Colorado Mountain College and the high school when it comes to the pathways. The pathways system will also help students become aware of the courses offered at CMC that could apply to their aspirations. 

Fred Maxwell, the director of the internship program at CMC and the creator of the first Tuesday pathways presentations, wants to help connect students to classes and opportunities that relate to their goals. “What I saw was a big disconnect . . . there were classes that we were running that I, as a former high school teacher, knew would be super popular at the high school but there wasn’t a lot of student’s signing up,” said Maxwell. 

Maxwell explained that having the pathways set up, and the opportunity to attend the Tuesday presentations will provide students with exposure to the real life situations that experts in careers of that pathway are involved in. “My end goal is–what I’ve seen in this internship program–is giving students a voice in their academic career,” Maxwell said.

Bechtel explains that he believes the best part about the program is that it’s easy for students to switch their focus from one pathway to another, because there is so much overlap between pathways. Even if a class no longer applies to a student’s dreams for the future, the student still will have had a say in the classes they’re taking and why they wanted to take them. The community response to the program has also been overwhelmingly positive, with experts volunteering to speak at the Tuesday presentations, and over 100 local businesses getting involved in the CMC internship program. 

The pathways system will continue to evolve to best fit students needs and interests in the future, but for now you may be wondering what students can do to best utilize this addition to their curriculum. Maxwell advises students to, “Engage in the whole process, listen to the speakers, look at the classes, go find out as much information as possible.” Just like any high school activity, get involved. Students should get exposure to different classes and experiences that will contribute to their career in the future.