photo by: Lawrence school district

Lawrence Superintendent Anthony Lewis recognizes students earning national Child Development Associate Certification during the Lawrence school board meeting on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023.

Before enrolling at the Lawrence College and Career Academy, Soleil Cummins-Grinnell had reached a point in her academic career where she “could not imagine a future for herself.”

By the time she reached high school, the sophomore said at the Dec. 11 Lawrence school board meeting, she felt “burned out” and like “an empty shell” of herself. She said she couldn’t even envision herself going to college in the future.

“Everybody has different opinions of school, but for me, it was just a constant reminder of how different I was from other kids,” Cummins-Grinnell said. “So, of course, when I thought about college, it was an instant ‘no.'”

But her mindset changed when she discovered the Early Childhood Education program, one of seven pathways offered at LCCA.

As the Journal-World reported, LCCA offers full day school at the Lawrence College and Career Center, 2910 Haskell Ave., to Lawrence High School and Free State High School students who have completed at least their first year at those schools. LCCA emphasizes providing high school students with their core classes in an alternative setting, while also focusing on courses that prepare them for a specific career.

photo by: Lawrence school district YouTube screegrab

Soleil Cummins-Grinnell, a sophomore at Lawrence College and Career Academy, discusses the Early Childhood Eduction pathway, during the Lawrence school board meeting on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023.

After she entered the Early Childhood Education pathway, “I felt a connection and finally knew what I wanted to do,” Cummins-Grinnell said. “I finally had something to hold onto to keep me afloat. My dream now is to graduate high school, go to college and become a child psychologist.”

That pathway also helped junior Ryan Carlson find purpose and meaning in her academic career. Before LCCA entered the picture, Carlson said that “dropping out sounded really nice.” Her high school career had a rough start, and Carlson was skeptical at first that the LCCA would change her outlook.

photo by: Lawrence school district Youtube screengrab

Ryan Carlson, a junior at Lawrence College and Career Academy, speaks about the program’s positive impact during Monday night’s Lawrence school board meeting on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. Also pictured, LCCA Principal Bill DeWitt.

“But I fell in love with it and found a job that I absolutely love” — a coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club at Hillcrest Elementary School. Now, she said, “I want to be a teacher and know that this will help me get on the right track.”

Kelly Welch, an instructor in the LCCA’s Early Childhood Education pathway said that the program’s primary objective is to position students “to be lead teachers in preschool programs by the age of 18.” The program is partnered with Princeton Children’s Center in order to help students obtain childhood lab hours that are required for certification.

Senior Caden Pennel told the board that he has learned much about the “laws and level of safety” that are required when working with children. He also said that the program fostered a family atmosphere, which he had never experienced in any classroom setting prior to that.

Bill DeWitt, principal at LCCA, said that the students who spoke Monday night provided a “good glimpse” into one of the pathways that is offered.

“When students find that connectedness, and a curriculum where they feel like it’s training that’s going to benefit them down the road, you can see that they really buy in,” he said. “We’ve tried to create a different environment where those kids can set up, but they also have to engage in a pathway of some kind.”

DeWitt praised Welch for providing the leadership necessary for students to be successful.

“The early childhood pathway can be very challenging,” he said. “So you have to have a fairly dynamic teacher that can really guide those kids down that pathway. A lot of kids have found their passion through Dr. Welch.”

DeWitt said that the pathways blend high school credit and “work credentials.”

“That’s kind of the evolution of what a lot of high schools are doing,” he said. “Students are not only graduating with academic skills, but also with job-ready skills. And so now you have the credentials to show that you’re job-ready.”