Holmes High hopes to give students a career, future along with a degree

COVINGTON, Ky. - The first day of school at Covington's Holmes High School Monday brings more optimism for the inner city school than its seen in years.

Holmes High is starting a new effort to get students preparing for their future careers.

"Holmes 180" is the name of turn-around program that aims to get students ready for a career and for college by the time they graduate.

The first day of classes in all Covington Independent Schools was delayed slightly this year to give Holmes High School more time to get this new program and major renovations ready for students.

The new career based educational plan calls for students to pick a career subject as the enter 10th grade. Students can choose from paths like manufacturing and construction, education, health care or information technology.

Then students will learn more about their specific career subject as they move through high school.

The career classes are starting just as Holmes High prepares its newly renovated media center with more accessible computers.

The hope is the career courses will give students new reasons to stay in school as well as a leg up on other students when they graduate.

"So our goal is to leave our school with 15 college career hours. We want to give them courses that are perfectly going to align them with their career goals in the futur," said Holmes High School Principal Dennis Maines. "Our school's new goals are to guide, pursue and connect."

The Holmes 180 program was made possible by a $200,000 grant the school received in the spring to reform its education plan and curriculum.

In addition to the new media center, Holmes also redesigned its cafeteria to make it more attractive and boost the appeal of a healthier lunch menu.

These new career courses come in addition to the traditional English, math, science and history courses every student will have to take.

Holmes High hopes the new career focus this year will pay off for the students it graduates in four years as part of the class of 2015.