This school year, Central Tech will launch the Explorer Program in partnership with Mannford and Ripley public schools. This innovative program is designed to introduce students to a wide range of career options at an early stage, helping them make informed decisions about their academic and career paths.
Kent Burris, superintendent of Central Tech, shared the inspiration behind the Explorer Program through a personal story about his children’s varied career paths. “My three children each took very different routes to find their career passions. My oldest, Mariah, always dreamed of becoming a vet. While inadvertently in eighth grade she ended up on the non-college diploma route, she achieved her goal of becoming a veterinarian. My middle child, Hannah, knew from an early age she wanted to be a teacher and stayed true to that goal. Ben, my youngest, explored multiple careers—from construction to oil field work, then CDL and welding, before finally discovering his passion in electrical trades. These experiences made me realize that not all kids know what they want to be when they grow up, and it often takes time and exploration to find their true calling. By creating career awareness earlier, we give students a longer timeframe to explore, allowing them to experience various options and find what fits them. This saves time later in life, provides a better understanding of their options, and helps them focus on their interests, making their education student-driven.”
Burris continued, we need a program that helps kids find a purpose and a path, whether it be technical or not. Understanding that many of today’s school counselors are overwhelmed with testing coordination and don’t have the time to work individually with all students, we looked for opportunities to serve in this space. After discussions with our leadership team, we decided to take the concept to our partner school superintendents.
Kelly Spradlin, superintendent of Mannford Public Schools, recalled the initial discussions. “Central Tech hosts superintendent meetings throughout the year, and at one of these meetings, Kent Burris spoke off-the-cuff about an idea he had to offer a career exploration class in middle school. I immediately thought, ‘We are in on that,’ even though they were looking for informal interest.”
Since superintendents were receptive to the idea, Central Tech began discussion with those who felt they might have the space and scheduling capacity to fit the program. After evaluating four schools—Cleveland, Drumright, Ripley, and Mannford—Ripley and Mannford were selected to pilot the Explorer Program for the 2024-2025 school year.
Spradlin expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. “When Central Tech introduced the idea, we immediately saw the potential. The value our students find in Central Tech is enormously appreciated. Tech can do things we cannot. Our school board saw a great opportunity, and our response was a resounding ‘yes’.”
“With our district growing, Central Tech is in a unique position to add programs and services tailored to the evolving needs of our community and workforce. We strive to think outside the box, identifying what truly fits the needs of our schools, students, and local businesses, and then making it happen. Recognizing the importance of appealing to a younger audience with diverse career options, we are fortunate to be blessed with the resources to invest in innovative programs like the Explorer Program,” said Burris.
By helping students figure out a plan earlier in life, it saves time and money for both students and parents, while also benefiting taxpayers. This approach prepares students to enter the workforce sooner and at a higher pay scale, ensuring they are well-equipped for their future careers.
Kaleb Hoffman, superintendent of Ripley Public Schools, expressed his excitement about the program. “We heard about the idea during one of our area superintendent meetings from Mr. Burris. I had been in discussions with our high school counselor on how we can offer more opportunities to our students regarding career choices. Part of our Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) is to invite guest speakers from different professions to share about their careers every Wednesday. However, we wanted to expose our students to even more before they decide what they want to do. Kids know what their parents do, and they may know what their best friend’s parents do, but they know little else. This Explorer Program can get them thinking—’I thought I wanted to do this, but I don’t really like it,’ or ‘I had no idea this was out there’—and develop a passion for it.”
Hoffman continued, “We want to enlighten kids to see different opportunities. Quite frankly, if students are not exposed to these choices early, they may never consider them as viable career options.”
Nancy Overton, director of the partner school extension program at Central Tech, explained the program’s structure and goals. “The Explorer Program will expose students to 13 of the 16 national career clusters through hands-on, project-based curriculum. For instance, in the Architecture and Construction cluster, students will learn to use Tinker CAD for designing floor plans and get practical experience with tools like hammers and power tools. They will also build a wooden box with a hinge lid to take home. In the Health Science cluster, students will learn about personal protective equipment (PPE), how to use a thermometer, take blood pressure, use a stethoscope, and practice empathy training. They may also visit nursing homes, practice skills on their classmates, and conduct handwashing presentations to another class, working on public speaking and community service.”
Overton emphasized the importance of providing direction for students early on. “You might like some career clusters and dislike others, but that helps you determine which path to take—whether it’s going straight to work, to college, or the military. It’s about finding the best route for each student.”
The program will be offered to different grade levels in each partner school. Ripley has chosen to include 7th and 8th graders, while Mannford has opted to start with 6th graders. This placement fits seamlessly into the existing curriculum at Mannford, where students already participate in the ICAP program and take an interest inventory twice a year.
Kory Mitchell, principal of Mannford Middle School, noted, “Our 7th and 8th graders are already involved in career exploration through our Flex program, which offers online courses in various career fields.
Spradlin added, “The Explorer Program will provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities, complementing the exploratory learning offered by Flex. Additionally, our 5th graders participate in Junior Achievement through BizTown, making the Explorer Program a perfect segue in 6th grade.”
Hoffman emphasized that a main goal of the school is to prepare seniors for their future and help them find their passion and purpose. Today’s students don’t have to choose between Central Tech and college, they can do both. With Central Tech’s partnership, Ripley can provide more resources and opportunities than they could alone.
Looking to the future, Burris shared plans for controlled expansion. “We are opening two programs this fall and plan to add two more each year until we reach all our partner schools. Our goal is to help students figure out a plan earlier in life, thus saving time and money for everyone involved.”
With the launch of the Explorer Program, Central Tech aims to provide students with a clearer understanding of their career options and better prepare them for their future, whether it leads them to college, straight into the workforce, or another path.
