By Franlin Almonte

Why do some students skip school? Why do some of them eventually drop out? Is there a way to keep these students in school and actually caring about their futures? A large number of Boston Public high school students are interested in studying many different topics beside core academics. There is a large demand for more vocational programs in Boston Public Schools.

My name is Franlin Almonte and I am seventeen years old. I’m a senior at the Margarita Muniz Academy and I’ve been here since the founding of the school. I enjoy this school because I am very proud to be part of the only secondary bilingual school in Massachusetts. This school has given me an unforgettable experience. One of my passions since I was little has been cosmetology. I have always wanted to be part of this profession. Certain people at my school have helped to make this dream come true. Right now I work at a beauty salon in Allston and next year I’m going to the Empire Beauty School. This is a big step for me because at this school I can improve my cosmetology skills and have all the tools that I need to improve in my future profession. When I am done with the program, I will have a cosmetology license.

We need more vocational training schools because all BPS students need to be able to have the choice of what they want to study or pursue in life. It is important because not every student wants to go to school just for academics. Many students want to work and make money. A lot of students know what they want to do but it is difficult to make this happen because Boston Public Schools does not offer many vocational programs.

I interviewed Kevin McCaskill, Executive Director of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School.

Franlin: What are the vocational classes you offer at Madison Park?

Kevin: We have 19, let’s see if I can name them all: carpentry, plumbing, sheet metal, electrical, telecommunications, auto technology, facilities management, auto body, culinary arts, cosmetology, graphic arts, design and visual, TV production, we have nursing, medical assisting, dental assisting, information support systems and networking (networking), hospitality and tourism, business technology and marketing.

Franlin: As the world continues to change and technology continues to advance how is your school adapting to these changes?

Kevin: That’s a great question because as you know technology changes, it seems like every minute technology changes, our students have the ability to go right from high school into industry and work so they have to be well equipped with the skills to move into a new technological advanced field and we have to really meet that need, so when technology changes we have to also change to give the kids the skills to really meet the demands of the industry.

Franlin: How does your school help students prepare for the future?

Kevin: It’s very unique here at Madison Park because they’re actually learning how to get to entry level programs in their elective fields here. For example, if they’re in a carpentry program they’re learning to become a skilled carpenter, to enter the union, to work on some of these fabulous construction projects that the city is really taking on.  If they’re at Allied Health they have to be very well versed in science so what are the things we have to do within the science and mathematics perspective to get our kids the skills to really understand what are the right dosages they have to give patients and such.  So they’re in tune to really meeting the industry standard from a high school perspective. So really prepare them to enter entry level jobs upon leaving high school.

Franlin: What are some of the benefits that Madison Park gives its students?

Kevin: The skills that they learn here through our programs are free. They would pay anywhere from 15 to 30 thousand dollars elsewhere to get the type of education we offer them and they get to do this for free over four years. That’s a huge bargain for our students and they’re developing the skills they need to either go on to college or to entry level fields of their desire.

I think vocational education is tremendous because it allows you a pathway in which you can go on to college in a particular field but it also gets the skills to enter the workforce and start earning a working wage and gain valuable experience at a very young age which can propel you to great success later on a few years down the road. These skills are marketable, that means people want what you have and they will pay for marketable skills so you are truly, truly an asset to any individuals in certain industries who may want to hire an individual right after school but also if you want to hone your skills a little bit more in academics you can go on to a two or four year school but you still have those same skills so when you leave college now you have a degree and the skills to go along with it so it’s just a great, great opportunity for young people.