‘Career Coaches’ Prepare Students For Life After High School

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – High School students in three Northeast Mississippi counties have opportunities for guidance and support as they plan for life after high school.

The Toyota Wellspring Education Endowment Fund at the CREATE Foundation is providing “Career Coaches” at school districts in Pontotoc, Union and Lee counties and the coaches are hard at work.

Davonta Wofford is taking time to visit with the two career coaches at Tupelo High School.

The senior is graduating in December and he wants to be ready for the next step.

“I would like to take construction, but some colleges they don’t do construction career classes, but some do,” Wofford said.

And that’s where the career coaches come in.  Erica Golden and Missy Lunceford meet with THS students, develop a gameplan to help students achieve educational, career and financial goals.

“Our focus is sophomores. We are reaching out to them, putting them on a career path, on a journey of either through school or through the workforce, but it’s not only sophomore, but juniors and seniors, because they need a plan also,” Golden said.

Career coaches meet individually with students and they also visit classrooms, where they explain their mission.

Students , like Sophomore Cooper Edmonson, say they welcome the guidance and support offered by these coaches.

“I feel like they can help me find classes I need to take to get that certain requirement for what I need to do,” Edmonson said.

There are eleven career coaches in schools throughout Pontotoc, Lee and Union Counties.  They are helping thousands of students navigate and plan for life after high school.  They know the task is huge, but they also know it’s important, not only for the students but the future of Northeast Mississippi.

The Toyota Wellspring Education Endowment Fund is a 50 million dollar gift created to enhance and support education in school districts throughout Pontotoc, Union and Lee counties.